UE Part 1 Flashcards
What 3 things will lead to diagnosis of most shoulder disorders?
- A careful history
- A thorough physical examination
- Imaging
What are the msot common shoulder injuries <30 years old
- Traumatic injuries or joint instability
- Glenohumeral dislocations or AC joint separation
- Rotator cuff and impingement syndrome rarely occur
What are the most common shoulder injuries 30-50 years old?
- MC rotator cuff tears or impingement syndrome
- Dislocations are much less common and should raise a suspicion of a concomitant rotator cuff tear
What are the most common shoulder injuries >50 years old
- rotator cuff dysfunction/tear (MC)
- Impingement syndrome (MC)
- Degenerative arthritis (MC)
- Acute pain in elderly may indicate pathological fracture due to osteoporosis- common at proximal humerus
If a patient has shoulder pain <2-3 weeks in duration, what should you think?
- Acute
- Injury
- Fracture
- Dislocation
- Rotator cuff tear or biceps tendon rupture
If a patient has chronic shoulder symptoms, what should you think?
- May be due to injury, but typically associated with overuse or arthritis
Look at pain diagram for shoulder!
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Pain along posterior clavicle: cervical radiculopathy, frozen shoulder
Pain along lateral shoulder: rotator cuff tear, shoulder instability
Pain on posterior triceps: cervical radiculopathy
Pain of posterior axillary area: fracture of scapula
Pain along acromion: acromioclavicular injuries
Pain of lateral or anterior shoulder: impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tear, frozen shoulder, arthritis, fracture of proximal humerus, thoracic outlet syndrome
What direction of instability is possible in shoulder injuries?
- Anterior
- Posterior
- Inferior
- Multidirectional
- Most common is anterior
What degrees of instability are possible?
- Partial (subluxation) with spontaneous reduction vs
- Complete (dislocation)
How should inspection of the shoulders be performed?
- Standing with shirt removed
- Assess contours and height of both shoulders
- Inspect both anteriorly and posteriorly
- Noteworthy findings: deformity, swelling, ecchymosis
How should palpation of the shoulders be performed?
- Start at the sternoclavicular joint and move laterally
- Assess all joints and bony structures
- Assess the subacromial bursa
- Assess long head of the biceps tendon
- Noteworthy findings: point tenderness, deformity, swelling
What are the 6 directions of movement of the shoulder
- Internal rotation
- External rotation
- Horizontal flexion
- Horizontal extension
- Abduction
- Adduction
How is ROM of the shoulder assessed?
- Active followed by passive ROM
- Note direction of limited ROM
- Assess fluidity and smoothness of movement
- Palpate for crepitus
- Consider functional disability
What factors may affect shoulder ROM exam?
- Pain
- Swelling
- Patient motivation
- Adaptation
Muscle testing of the deltoid
- Abduct shoulder at 90 degrees with elbow flexed at 90 degrees and the forearm parallel to the floor
- Ask patient to resist downward pressure to the elbow
Special tests for the supraspinatus
- Empty can test
- Abduct shoulder at 90 degrees with 30 degree forward flexion and internal rotation with the elbow extended
- In the thumbs down position
- Push down as the patient resists
- Weakness or pain is indicative of rotator cuff disease
Special tests for infraspinatus and teres minor
- Flex elbow to 90 degrees with shoulder in neutral position
- Support the elbow and attempt to externally rotate asking patient to resist movement
Special tests for subscapularis
“Gerber lift-off test”
Place the patient’s hand behind the small of the back, palm facing away from the back
Have the patient lift the hand off the back against resistance
Muscle testing serratus anterior
Stabilizes the scapula
Flex the shoulder above 90 degrees
Then with one hand, depress the arm posteriorly while the other hand palpates the scapula
The scapula should remain on the chest wall
Winging indicates muscle weakness
Muscle testing for rhomboid
Have patient place both hands on their sides, along side of iliac crest
Push arm forward as the patient resists your passive movement
Scapula should remain on chest wall
Winging indicates muscle weakness
Neer impingement test
With patient seated, depress the scapula with one hand and elevate the arm with the other
This compresses the rotator cuff tendons between the greater tuberosity and the anterior acromion
Discomfort represents rotator cuff tear or impingement syndrome
Hawkins-Kennedy test
Forward flex the shoulder to 90 degrees and the elbow flexed to 90 degrees
Internally rotate the shoulder
Pain indicates impingement of the Supraspinatus tendon
Performing crossover test
Elevate the shoulder to 90 degrees
Adductor the arm across the body in the horizontal plant
What does discomfort over AC joint on the crossover test suggest?
Arthritis or AC joint pathology
How is apprehension sign performed?
Place arm in supine position
Place arm in 90 degree abduction with elbow flexed at 90 degrees
Apply maximal external rotation
What would be an abnormal sign on apprehension sign?
Anterior instability reports sense of impending dislocation
Discomfort without apprehension is nonspecific
How is sulcus sign performed?
Apply traction in an inferior direction with the arm relaxed at the patients side
What is an abnormal sulcus sign and what does it indicate?
Inferior instability: inferior subluxation of the humeral head and a widening of the sulcus between the humerus and the acromion
How is the jerk test performed?
Place arm in 90 degree flexión and maximum internal rotation with the elbow flexed at 90 degrees
Adductor arm across the body in the horizontal plane while pushing the humerus in the posterior position
What is an abnormal jerk test finding and what does it mean?
Posterior instability: posterior subluxation or dislocation
First line imaging for the shoulder
Radiographs
Benefits of each type of shoulder radiograph
AP view: can add on internal and external rotation views
Scapular view: helpful for shoulder dislocation, proximal humerus fracture and scapular fracture, better view of scapula
Axillary view: provides view of relayionship of humeral head and the glenoid
What is the purpose of the rotator cuff
Muscles and tendons stabilize the shoulder, holding the humerus into the fossa of the glenoid
Rotator cuff muscles
SITS
supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres minor
Subscapularis
What is the most common cause of shoulder pain and disability?
Rotator cuff disorders
What do rotator cuff disorders consist of?
Impingement
Tendonitis
Tears
Pathophysiology and progression of rotator cuff disorders
Overuse
Edema
Inflammation
Fibrosis
Microscopic tear
Partial thickness tear
Full thickness tear
What is impingement disorder?
An inflammation of the subacromial bursa and rotator cuff tendons
What causes impingement disorder?
Repetitive compression of subacromial bursa and rotator cuff tendons under the coracoacromial arch
Presentation of impingement disorder
Gradual onset of shoulder pain anteriorly and laterally
Pain worse with overhead activity, can also worsen when reaching behind the back
Night pain and difficulty sleeping on affected side
Prolonged cases: weakness and SITS muscle atrophy
Physical exam of impingement disorder
Inspection: usually normal, atrophy if prolonged condition
Palpation: tenderness over the greater tuberosity and subacromial bursa
ROM: pain with abduction (between 90-120 degrees) and when lowering arm back down, crepitus with movement
Special testing: + Neer and Hawkins-Kennedy
Diagnostics for impingement disorder
X-rays typically normal
Y-view x-ray could demonstrate subacromial spur
MRI is most sensitive and specific but most money
Diagnostic anesthetic injection
What is diagnostic anesthetic injection
Assess muscle strength with empty can test
Injection 10 mL of 1% lidocaine into the subacromial space
Repeat empty can
If strength assessment improves impingement is more likely than tear
Management of impingement disorder
Rest and NSAIDs - mainstay
Home exercise program: 6-8 weeks of exercises 3-4x daily, should not have increase in pain, muscle soreness and stretching sensation are normal, ice application after exercises
Corticosteroid injection if no improvement after 4-6 weeks
What are referral indications for impingement disorder?
PT: no improvement after 3-4 weeks of home exercise
Orthopedic: no improvement after 2-3 months of PT, possible consideration of surgical subacromial decompression
Etiology of rotator cuff tendonitis
Repetitive overhead motions increase demand on shoulder and musculotendinous junctions
Risk factors for rotator cuff tendonitis
AKA overhead throwing shoulder
MC- repetitive overhead activity (ex pitching)
Increased BMI
DM
Hyperlipidemia
Rotator cuff tendonitis pathophysiology
Overuse
Damage to rotator cuff-glenohumeral relationship
Humeral head instability
Superior translocation of the humeral head
Compression of the subacromial bursa and rotator cuff tendons
Fraying of the rotator cuff tendons
Partial-tear of rotator cuff tendons
Full thickness tear
Pathophysiology of internal impingement in rotator cuff tendonitis
Excessive abduction and external rotation —> compression of the Supraspinatus and infraspinatus
Early symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis (stage I tendonitis)
Aching and soreness with repetitive activity (throwing) in anterior shoulder
Athletes have decreased pitching speed and accuracy
Pain with ADLs ie showering or washing hair
Improves with rest
Late symptoms of rotator cuff tendonitis (stage II tendonitis)
Posterior shoulder pain with activity and at night
Loss of ROM-abduction and external rotation
Rest no longer effective
Physical exam findings for rotator cuff tendonitis
Inspection: most patients normal, atrophy of Supraspinatus or infraspinatus in long-standing disease
Palpation: tenderness along the affected muscles, subacromial space
ROM: pain above 90 degree abduction, passive ROM > active ROM
Special testing: + empty can, + Neer and Hawkins if associated impingement
Imaging of rotator cuff tendonitis
Shoulder x-ray with internal and external AP views
MSK ultrasound
MRI shoulder
Findings on internal and external AP view shoulder X-ray in rotator cuff tendonitis
Normal early in disease
Sclerosis along greater tuberosity and glenoid rim later in disease
Findings on MSK ultrasound in rotator cuff tendonitis
Requires trained technician; operator dependent
Inexpensive, convenient, no radiation exposure
Will show thickening (>5 to 6 mm), hypoechogenicity, and heterogeneity
Indications for MRI shoulder in rotator cuff tendonitis
Unclear presentation (clinical diagnosis questionable)
Inadequate response to conservative therapy
What will MRI shoulder show in rotator cuff tendonitis
Inflammation and edema
Management of stage I rotator cuff tendonitis
Rest- no overhead weight training or throwing x 10 days
After 10 days of rest- intermittent throwing
Physical therapy