(Test 1: 8.) Shoulder Pain

Question 1

What is the most common direction for a glenohumeral dislocation?

Answer 1

Anterior dislocation

Question 2

What does the Painful Arc Test test for?

What makes it special?

Answer 2

Subacromial impingement, and rotator cuff tendon injury.

It has the highest positive LR, and the lowest negative LR of all rotator cuff maneuvers

Question 3

What are the top causes of chronic shoulder pain?

Answer 3

Rotator cuff disorders

Adhesive capsulitis

Shoulder instability

Shoulder arthritis

Question 4

What is the most commonly injured muscle of the rotator cuff?

Answer 4

Supraspinatus

Question 5

What is the test of choice for imaging of the rotator cuff?

Answer 5

MRI / ultrasound

(x-rays are not helpful)

Question 6

What are the top causes of life threatening shoulder pain?

Answer 6

Septic arthritis

Acute MI

Intraperitoneal hemorrhage

Lung pathology

Question 7

What are the top causes of acute shoulder pain?

Answer 7

Rotator cuff injuries

Fracture/dislocation

Acromioclavicular joint injuries

Myofascial injury

Question 8

What is the most sensitive indicator of joint disease?

Answer 8

Decreased range of motion.

Question 9

What is the difference between a joint exam and an extremity exam?

Answer 9

In an extremity exam, we inspect, palpate, assess range of motion, assess neurovascular status, assess reflexes, and do specialty testing.

In a joint exam, we don’t test reflexes or neurovascular status.