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Algodystrophy: underestimated, under-recognized and undertreated conditions
10 mars 2026
By
Elodie Vaz | Published on March 10, 2026 | 3 min read
Long relegated to the status of a rare complication, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) remains a largely underestimated condition. Yet its consequences can be major. The disorder is characterized by persistent and disabling pain, most often affecting the limbs: wrist, shoulder, foot, or knee. It frequently occurs after trauma, a sprain, tendinitis, or a surgical procedure.
In France, nearly 50,000 people—women, men, and children—are believed to be affected. Despite this prevalence, the condition is still poorly recognized and sometimes inadequately managed. As Prof. Eric Viel, a pain medicine specialist, noted during a press conference organized on March 4 at the National Academy of Surgery: “CRPS encompasses a set of articular and peri-articular symptoms dominated by persistent pain with a regional distribution that does not correspond to either a dermatome or a specific nerve territory.”
Long relegated to the status of a rare complication, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) remains a largely underestimated condition. Yet its consequences can be major. The disorder is characterized by persistent and disabling pain, most often affecting the limbs: wrist, shoulder, foot, or knee. It frequently occurs after trauma, a sprain, tendinitis, or a surgical procedure.
In France, nearly 50,000 people—women, men, and children—are believed to be affected. Despite this prevalence, the condition is still poorly recognized and sometimes inadequately managed. As Prof. Eric Viel, a pain medicine specialist, noted during a press conference organized on March 4 at the National Academy of Surgery: “CRPS encompasses a set of articular and peri-articular symptoms dominated by persistent pain with a regional distribution that does not correspond to either a dermatome or a specific nerve territory.”
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Scientific reference
Académie nationale de chirurgie. Les algodystrophies : des pathologies sous-estimées, sous-évaluées et sous-traitées. Conférence de presse. Paris: Académie nationale de chirurgie; 4 mars 2026.
