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BACKGROUND: The incidence of asymptomatic rotator cuff tears has been reported to range from 15% to 39%, but the influence of asymptomatic rotator cuff pathology on shoulder function is not well understood. This study assessed the effects of asymptomatic rotator cuff pathology on shoulder kinematics, strength, and patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: A clinical ultrasound examination was performed in 46 asymptomatic volunteers (age: 60.3 ± 7.5 years) with normal shoulder function to document the condition of their rotator cuff. The ultrasound imaging identified the participants as healthy (n = 14) or pathologic (n = 32). Shoulder motion was measured with a biplane x-ray imaging system, strength was assessed with a Biodex (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Shirley, NY, USA), and patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index and visual analog scale pain scores. RESULTS: Compared with healthy volunteers, those with rotator cuff pathology had significantly less abduction (P = .050) and elevation (P = .041) strength, their humerus was positioned more inferiorly on the glenoid (P = .018), and the glenohumeral contact path length was longer (P = .007). No significant differences were detected in the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, visual analog scale, range of motion, or acromiohumeral distance. CONCLUSIONS: The differences observed between the healthy volunteers and those with asymptomatic rotator cuff pathology lend insight into the changes in joint mechanics, shoulder strength, and conventional clinical outcomes associated with the early stages of rotator cuff pathology. Furthermore, these findings suggest a plausible mechanical progression of kinematic and strength changes associated with the development of rotator cuff pathology.

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BACKGROUND: Physical therapy (PT) is often prescribed for patients with rotator cuff tears. The extent to which PT influences strength, range of motion (ROM), and patient-reported outcomes has been studied extensively, but the effect of PT on in vivo joint kinematics is not well understood. PURPOSE: To assess the influence of symptomatic rotator cuff pathology and the effects of PT on shoulder motion, strength, and patient-reported outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear and 25 age-matched asymptomatic control subjects were recruited. Shoulder motion was measured using a biplane radiography imaging system, strength was assessed with a Biodex dynamometer, and patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index and visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores. Data were acquired from the patients before and after 8 weeks of physical therapy. Data were acquired at 1 time point for the control subjects. RESULTS: Compared with the control subjects, patients with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear had significantly worse pain/function scores (P < .01); less ROM (P < .01); lower abduction (ABD), external rotation (ER), and internal rotation (IR) strength (P < .01); less scapulothoracic posterior tilt (P = .05); and lower glenohumeral joint elevation (P < .01). Physical therapy resulted in improved pain/function scores (P < .01), increased ROM (P < .02), increased scapulothoracic posterior tilt (P = .05), increased glenohumeral joint elevation (P = .01), and decreased acromiohumeral distance (AHD) (P = .02). CONCLUSION: Compared with age-matched controls, patients had worse pain/function scores, less ROM, and lower ABD, ER, and IR strength. Patients also had less scapulothoracic anteroposterior tilt, less glenohumeral joint elevation, and an altered glenohumeral joint contact path. PT resulted in improved pain/function scores, increased ROM, greater posterior scapulothoracic tilt, increased glenohumeral joint elevation, an increased range of superoinferior joint contact, and a lower mean AHD. Of these differences, PT only returned scapulothoracic tilt to control levels. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study documents the effects of PT on shoulder motion and conventional clinical outcomes. It is expected that understanding how changes in joint motion are associated with conventional clinical outcomes will lead to improved nonoperative interventions for patients with rotator cuff tears.

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BACKGROUND: Glenohumeral joint (GHJ) dislocations are common, and the resulting shoulder instability is often treated with arthroscopic stabilization. These procedures result in favorable clinical outcomes, but abnormal GHJ motion may persist, which may place patients at risk for developing osteoarthritis. However, the effects of shoulder instability and arthroscopic stabilization on GHJ motion are not well understood. HYPOTHESIS: GHJ motion is significantly influenced by anterior instability and arthroscopic stabilization, but postsurgical measures of GHJ motion are not different from those of control subjects. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: In vivo GHJ motion was measured by applying a computed tomographic model-based tracking technique to biplane radiographic images acquired during an apprehension test in healthy control subjects (n = 11) and anterior instability patients (n = 11). Patients were tested before surgery and at 6 months after surgery. Control subjects were tested once. Shoulder strength, active range of motion (ROM), and the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability (WOSI) index were also measured. RESULTS: Before surgery, the humerus of the instability patients during the apprehension test was located significantly more anteriorly on the glenoid (7.9% of glenoid width; 2.1 mm) compared with that of the controls (P = .03), but arthroscopic stabilization moved this joint contact location posteriorly on the glenoid (4.7% of glenoid width; 1.1 mm; P = .03). After surgery, GHJ excursion during the apprehension test was significantly lower (14.7% of glenoid width; 3.6 mm) compared with presurgical values (19.4% of glenoid width; 4.7 mm; P = .01) and with that of the controls (22.4% of glenoid width; 5.7 mm; P = .01). The external and internal rotation strength of patients was significantly lower than that of the controls before surgery (P < .05), but differences in strength did not persist after surgery (P > .17). External rotation ROM in patients was significantly lower than that in control subjects both before and after arthroscopic stabilization (P < .01). The WOSI score improved significantly, from 48.3 ± 13.1 presurgery to 86.3 ± 16.5 after surgery (P = .0002). CONCLUSION: In patients with anterior instability, arthroscopic stabilization significantly improves measures of strength, ROM, and clinical outcome. However, GHJ excursion is not fully restored to levels seen in the control subjects. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although arthroscopic stabilization satisfactorily restores most clinical outcome measures, GHJ excursion and external rotation ROM remain compromised compared with healthy control subjects and may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in patients with anterior instability.

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