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Weisman A1,2, Masharawi Y2
1Clalit Health Services, Physiotherapy, Holon, Israel, 2Tel Aviv University, Physiotherapy, Tel Aviv, Israel
Background: Posture variations have been repeatedly linked to shoulder kinematics, strength, range of motion and rotator cuff diseases, however, no study has as yet examined its possible link with shoulder pain provocation and pain levels during clinical shoulder tests.
Purpose: To examine whether changing posture while sitting modifies pain provocation and pain level during performance of three clinical shoulder tests in subjects with shoulder pain and rotator cuff degenerative tears (RCDT).
Methods: Seventy individuals allocated into 2 groups by an experienced physiotherapist: 35 subjects with symptomatic shoulders and RCDT diagnosed by ultrasound (tear size = 1.0±0.5 cm) and 35 control subjects with no symptoms in the upper limb. All subjects were tested by a second physiotherapist for pain provocation (yes/no) and pain level (VAS) using three common clinical shoulder tests: the Neer, the Hawkins-Kennedy and empty can, while sitting in a neutral, slouched and upright posture. Shoulder muscle forces were examined by a hand-held dynamometer for possible correlations only in the neutral posture. All subjects were asked to fill out the quick DASH questionnaire.
Results: In the Symptomatic group, all three clinical tests demonstrated similar pain provocation (100% repeatability) and pain level in all three sitting postures (3.7 VAS 5.4, p>0.05). Muscle force mean ranges of the study groups were 4.4-7 kg and in the control group, 6-10.5 kg. No correlations were found between age, body mass index, painful shoulder, hand dominance, onset of symptoms, severity and tear size with any of the dependent variables.
Conclusion(s): Changing posture while sitting did not directly affect pain provocation and pain levels during performance of three clinical shoulder tests in subjects with shoulder pain and RCDT.
Implications: The habitual sitting posture of the patient during the clinical shoulder tests used in this study, has no clinical significant on pain levels and pain provocation in patients with RCDTs.
Keywords: Shoulder tests, pain, rotator cuff degenerative tears
Funding acknowledgements: There was no external funding for this study
Purpose: To examine whether changing posture while sitting modifies pain provocation and pain level during performance of three clinical shoulder tests in subjects with shoulder pain and rotator cuff degenerative tears (RCDT).
Methods: Seventy individuals allocated into 2 groups by an experienced physiotherapist: 35 subjects with symptomatic shoulders and RCDT diagnosed by ultrasound (tear size = 1.0±0.5 cm) and 35 control subjects with no symptoms in the upper limb. All subjects were tested by a second physiotherapist for pain provocation (yes/no) and pain level (VAS) using three common clinical shoulder tests: the Neer, the Hawkins-Kennedy and empty can, while sitting in a neutral, slouched and upright posture. Shoulder muscle forces were examined by a hand-held dynamometer for possible correlations only in the neutral posture. All subjects were asked to fill out the quick DASH questionnaire.
Results: In the Symptomatic group, all three clinical tests demonstrated similar pain provocation (100% repeatability) and pain level in all three sitting postures (3.7 VAS 5.4, p>0.05). Muscle force mean ranges of the study groups were 4.4-7 kg and in the control group, 6-10.5 kg. No correlations were found between age, body mass index, painful shoulder, hand dominance, onset of symptoms, severity and tear size with any of the dependent variables.
Conclusion(s): Changing posture while sitting did not directly affect pain provocation and pain levels during performance of three clinical shoulder tests in subjects with shoulder pain and RCDT.
Implications: The habitual sitting posture of the patient during the clinical shoulder tests used in this study, has no clinical significant on pain levels and pain provocation in patients with RCDTs.
Keywords: Shoulder tests, pain, rotator cuff degenerative tears
Funding acknowledgements: There was no external funding for this study
Topic: Musculoskeletal: upper limb; Pain & pain management
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Clalit health services
Ethics committee: Institutional Helsinki committee
Ethics number: ק18/2015
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
