Living with a symptomatic rotator cuff tear 'bad days, bad nights': a qualitative study

Association between perception of harm and valence of shoulder movement images with disability levels related to chronic shoulder pain

ABSTRACT

Recent studies highlight an interplay between pain perception and emotional responses. This necessitates a thorough investigation into how beliefs and motivational influences respond to visual stimuli of movements. Such an analysis is crucial for understanding the extent to which these factors contribute to disability levels associated with shoulder pain. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the perception of harm and the valence in images depicting shoulder movements and determine how these perceptions are linked to disability levels associated with shoulder pain. This cross-sectional study recruited 42 individuals with chronic shoulder pain. Participants were presented with 58 shoulder movements images. Each participant evaluated these images for emotional valence and arousal using the self-assessment manikin. For every image, they provided their level of avoidance, fear, and perception of harm in a numerical scale. We measured disability levels and pain catastrophizing using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. A direct acyclic graph was used. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted with shoulder disability as the dependent variable and perception of harm and valence as independent variables, adjusted for the confounders catastrophizing and arousal. This analysis resulted in a significant model (F4,37 = 11.44; adjusted R2 = 0.547; P < 0.01). The perception of harm to shoulder movement (β = 0.11; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval = 5.6-11.8) was significantly associated with the level of shoulder disability, whereas valence did not show a significant association (β = 0.26; P = 0.15; 95% confidence interval = 1.7-10.8). The perception of harm associated with shoulder movements images during daily activities was associated with disability. Individuals who believe that shoulder movements are harmful have greater disability.

'If he thought that I was going to go and hurt myself, he had another thing coming': Treatment experiences of those with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners

OBJECTIVE

To explore the treatment experiences of those diagnosed with large to massive rotator cuff tears and the perspectives of healthcare practitioners providing their care.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study using reflexive thematic analysis.

SETTING

In-person focus groups were undertaken in a clinical setting (private practice [n = 1]; public outpatient [n = 2]). Semi-structured interviews were conducted online via Microsoft Teams.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients diagnosed with these tears (n = 12) and healthcare practitioners (n = 11).

RESULTS

Two interlinking themes were identified based on the care received and provided for patients with symptomatic large to massive rotator cuff tears:1) Positive treatment experiences and management: Education, clear communication and reassurance around prognosis were the foundation of positive patient-clinician care. Sub-themes of pain relief, exercise prescription and confidence in their pathway underpinned this experience. This proficiency in care was affirmed by some healthcare practitioners who spoke about the importance of confidence and experience in their management plan even in times of poor progress.2) Negative treatment experiences and management: Uncertainty, delays and exacerbation of pain flawed the patient-clinician care. Sub-themes of inappropriate pain relief, inappropriate exercise prescription and uncertainty impacted their care. Some healthcare practitioners acknowledged knowledge gaps led to uncertainty especially when choosing the next step of care and were quick to escalate care to deflect this uncertainty.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest discordance exists between the patient's experiences and expectations when the delivery of care was by less experienced and confident healthcare practitioners in the management of this condition. This highlights the need for improved education and support for healthcare practitioners.

Traumatic rotator cuff injury: does delayed surgery worsen functional outcomes?

PURPOSE

The optimal timing of surgery after traumatic rotator cuff tears (RCT) is unclear, with its impact on functional outcomes under debate. This study aimed to review functional outcomes after RCT repair in patients who underwent early vs delayed surgery at our unit.

METHODS

This was single-centre retrospective evaluation. Patients with an acute traumatic RCT that underwent repair between 2017 and 2019 and had local follow-up were included and placed into two groups: early surgery (within 6 months from injury) and delayed surgery (more than 6 months from injury). Patient demographics, RCT data and pre- and post-operative (after 12 months) Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) were extracted from medical records. Data was analysed to compare OSS scores between groups, as well as the effect of cuff tear sizes on OSS scores.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients were included in the analysis (15 early, 34 delayed). There were no significant differences in age, sex or cuff tear sizes between groups. No difference was identified in the mean post-operative OSS between early vs delayed groups (40.9 ± 6.34 vs 40.5 ± 7.65, p = 0.86). The mean improvement in OSS after surgery was also similar between groups (22.5 ± 7.81 vs 20.97 ± 7.19, p = 0.498). Having a large or massive RCT did not worsen OSS compared to small or medium RCT (p = 0.44), even when stratified by early or delayed surgery.

CONCLUSION

Delayed surgery for traumatic RCT greater than 6 months from injury did not negatively impact long-term functional outcomes at our unit. Patients should be reassured as applicable before surgery in the event of prolonged or unavoidable delays.

Improvements in Sleep After Shoulder Arthroscopy Are Correlated With Improvements in Various Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Purpose

To determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances in patients before and after arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and to evaluate the association between patient-reported outcomes and standardized sleep disturbance tools after shoulder arthroscopy.

Methods

A systematic review, following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines, was conducted by searching the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases using the terms "arthroscopic surgery" and "sleep." Two independent reviewers evaluated the studies based on the inclusion criteria focused on the effects of shoulder arthroscopy on sleep disturbance and the use of outcome measures related to sleep. Data on sleep quality and functional outcomes were collected and analyzed using various assessment tools, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score. The methodologic quality of included studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria.

Results

The review included 15 studies (9 Level IV, 5 Level III, and 1 Level II) comprising 1,818 arthroscopic patients (average age, 57.4 ± 8.86 years; follow-up range, 6 months to 75.7 months). The prevalence rates of sleep disturbances before and after shoulder arthroscopy ranged from 75.8% to 100% and from 19% to 62%, respectively. Every study included in this analysis reported an improvement in rates of sleep disturbances postoperatively compared with preoperatively. Improvements in standardized sleep disturbance scores were associated with functional outcomes.

Conclusions

Sleep disturbances are commonly observed before and after arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder. Arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder appears to improve sleep quality, and surgeons can expect functional outcomes, specifically the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Simple Shoulder Test score, numeric rating scale or visual analog scale score, and Constant-Murley score, to improve in line with sleep quality.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, systematic review of Level II to IV studies.

Exploring the experiences and perceptions of patients awaiting rotator cuff repair surgery: An integrated qualitative study within the POWER pilot and feasibility trial

BACKGROUND

As waiting times for orthopaedic surgery increase, there have been calls to move from 'waiting lists' to 'preparation lists', to better prepare patients for surgery. In this context, a pilot randomised controlled trial (POWER) was conducted, comparing physiotherapist-led exercise to waiting-list control (usual care), for patients awaiting rotator cuff repair surgery. This qualitative study was integrated within the pilot trial.

OBJECTIVES

Explore the experiences of adults awaiting rotator cuff repair surgery in the NHS. Explore the acceptability of the physiotherapist-led exercise intervention. Explore the barriers and enablers to recruitment, retention, and adherence.

DESIGN

Integrated qualitative study with semi-structured telephone interviews.

METHODS

Adults awaiting rotator cuff repair, consenting to participate in the trial were eligible. Sampling was purposive regarding age, gender, randomised allocation, and hospital site. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

RESULTS

20 participants were recruited (age range 49-81 years; 12 male, 10 randomised to physiotherapist-led exercise). Many participants were unable to recall their experiences of trial processes; nonetheless, three themes were identified from the data: experience of shoulder pain and pathway to treatment; communication and decision-making in the context of rotator cuff repair surgery; and experiences of the POWER physiotherapist-led exercise intervention and processes.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients experience significant burden due to shoulder pain. Their journey to surgery can be long, confusing, and associated with perceived abandonment. In a future trial, the intervention should offer opportunity for shared decision-making, optional exit from the surgical pathway, and an individualised exercise programme.

Acidosis induces significant changes to the murine supraspinatus enthesis organic matrix

Rotator cuff pathology is a common musculoskeletal condition that disproportionately affects older adults, as well as patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. It is known that increased age and kidney dysfunction have been correlated to acidotic states, which may be related to the increased incidence of rotator cuff injury. In order to investigate the potential relationship between acidosis and rotator cuff composition and mechanics, this study utilizes a 14-day murine model of metabolic acidosis and examines the effects on the supraspinatus tendon-humeral head attachment complex. The elastic matrix in the enthesis exhibited significant changes beginning at day 3 of acidosis exposure. At day 3 and day 7 timepoints, there was a decrease in collagen content seen in both mineralized and unmineralized tissue as well as a decrease in mineral:matrix ratio. There is also evidence of both mineral dissolution and reprecipitation as buffering ions continually promote pH homeostasis. Mechanical properties of the tendon-to-bone attachment were studied; however, no significant changes were elicited in this 14-day model of acidosis. These findings suggest that acidosis can result in significant changes in enthesis composition over the course of 14 days; however, enthesis mechanics may be more structurally mediated rather than affected by compositional changes.

"Restoring That Faith in My Shoulder": A Qualitative Investigation of How and Why Exercise Therapy Influenced the Clinical Outcomes of Individuals With Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain

OBJECTIVE

Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP) is the most common form of shoulder pain. Exercise therapy is a first-line recommended treatment for RCRSP. However, the causal mechanisms underpinning the benefits of exercise for RCRSP are not well understood. Moreover, how individuals with lived experience of RCRSP believe exercise helped or did not help them is unknown. This study aimed to gain insights into how individuals with RCRSP believe exercise influenced their shoulder pain and identify the clinical conditions that promoted or inhibited their beliefs.

METHODS

This qualitative study was underpinned by a critical realist approach to thematic analysis. Participants were recruited using hybrid purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Each participant attended an online semi-structured interview. The data were coded by 2 members of the research team (J.K.P. and N.C.) and verified by a third (B.S.). Recruitment continued until theoretical sufficiency was achieved. Participants reviewed and validated preliminary causal explanations.

RESULTS

Three causal explanations were consistently expressed by 11 participants to explain the benefits of exercise therapy: (1) shoulder strength; (2) changes to psychoemotional status; and (3) exercise has widespread health effects. However, the activation of these causal mechanisms depended on (1) the presence of a strong therapeutic relationship; (2) the provision of a structured and tailored exercise program; and (3) experiencing timely clinical progress.

CONCLUSION

Participants believed exercise improved their shoulder pain through associated health benefits, improved shoulder strength, and psychoemotional variables. Whether an exercise program was able to cause a clinical improvement for an individual with RCRSP was contingent on clinical contextual features. Thus, the clinical context that an exercise program is delivered within may be just as important as the exercise program itself.

IMPACT

Exercise is a recommended first-line intervention to manage RCRSP. The results of this study suggest that a positive experience and outcome with exercise for RCRSP is contingent on several clinical contextual features, such as a strong therapeutic relationship. The clinical context that an exercise program is prescribed and delivered within should be considered by clinicians.

The impact of shoulder pathologies on job discontinuation and return to work: a pilot ultrasonographic investigation

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound imaging has emerged as one of the most useful tools for evaluating shoulder disorders. To date, the association between shoulder ultrasonography and a patient's work status has rarely been explored by antecedent studies.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the association between sonographically diagnosed shoulder pathologies and job discontinuation and return to work.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Outpatient clinic in the university hospital.

POPULATION

Fifty-nine patients who were older than 20 years of age and had worked in a full-time job within the past three years.

METHODS

All participants underwent clinical evaluation using the visual analog scale (for pain), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and shoulder ultrasound examination. The work-related ergonomic risks, including dealing with heavy objects, repeated use and requiring forceful motion of the affected upper extremity, were assessed. The ultrasound-identified shoulder pathologies associated with job discontinuation, that is, sick leave due to painful shoulder for more than two consecutive months, were considered as the primary outcome. In the job discontinuation subgroup, we further investigated the association between return to work and the clinical/sonographic findings.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis revealed a positive association between job discontinuation and shoulder surgery or work types requiring forceful upper-limb movements. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that job discontinuation was positively associated with supraspinatus tendon full-thickness tears (risk ratio, 8.80; 95% CI, 1.77-10.56; P=0.018). Of the patients who received shoulder surgery, 46.6% had recurrent rotator cuff tears. Return to work was likely to be related to pain scores during overhead activities and shoulder function impairment but not to sonographic findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Job discontinuation is associated with shoulder surgery, work that necessitates forceful upper-extremity movements and supraspinatus tendon full-thickness tears detected by ultrasound.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT

Sonographic findings should not be used as the only standard for evaluating the patient's work capability.

Improvement in Sleep Disturbance Following Anatomic and Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance is commonly reported by patients with arthritis and rotator cuff disease. Small cohort studies have demonstrated sleep improvements following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). However, to our knowledge, no large cohort study has evaluated sleep improvement after shoulder arthroplasty. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of shoulder arthroplasty on sleep improvement, including the speed of sleep recovery, improvement plateaus, and any differences observed between TSA and RSA.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of our institution's shoulder and elbow repository evaluated patients who had been managed with TSA and RSA between 2012 and 2021. Our analysis focused on visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores as well as specific sleep-related questions included in the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaires. Preoperative characteristics were compared, and comparisons at the 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, and most recent follow-ups were performed to evaluate the efficacy of improvement, speed of recovery, improvement plateaus, and differences among implant types.

RESULTS

Our search identified 1,405 patients who were treated with shoulder arthroplasty, including 698 who underwent TSA and 707 who underwent RSA. Six hundred and seventy-six (97%) of those who underwent TSA and 670 (95%) of those who underwent RSA reported sleep disturbance prior to surgery and were eligible for inclusion. With the exclusion of 357 patients without complete follow-up, 989 patients (517 who underwent TSA and 472 who underwent RSA) met the inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up of 36 months for the TSA group and 25 months for the RSA group. Postoperatively, significant improvements in the ability to sleep comfortably and sleep on the affected side were observed in both the TSA group and the RSA group (p < 0.001). The ability to sleep comfortably returned faster than the ability to sleep on the affected side, with the ability to sleep comfortably reaching a plateau at 3 months and the ability to sleep on the affected side reaching a plateau at 6 months. Despite improvements in terms of sleep disturbance, at the time of most recent follow-up, 13.2% of patients in the TSA group and 16.0% of those in the RSA group could not sleep comfortably and 31.4% of those in the TSA group and 36.8% of those in the RSA group could not sleep on the operative side.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study demonstrated that both TSA and RSA provide significant and rapid improvement in patients' ability to sleep comfortably and, to a lesser extent, improves their ability to sleep on their affected side.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Imaging for patients presenting with a painful shoulder

Shoulder pain is a common cause of musculoskeletal presentation in primary care, where both traumatic and atraumatic pathologies can also lead to emergency department attendances. This article discusses common acute and chronic presentations of a painful shoulder, looking at the typical history of patients presenting with a painful shoulder, examination findings and the most appropriate imaging modalities to consider. Strengths and weaknesses of each imaging modality are discussed along with their role in aiding diagnosis, as well as management of the various pathologies encountered in primary and secondary care.

Resolution of Sleep Disturbance and Improved Functional Outcomes After Rotator Cuff Repair

BACKGROUND

Most patients experience sleep disturbances before rotator cuff repair, with these symptoms largely improving postoperatively. However, the relationship between the resolution or persistence of sleep disturbance and patient-reported outcomes after rotator cuff repair remains unknown.

PURPOSE

To compare outcomes after rotator cuff repair between patients who reported a preoperative sleep disturbance and those who did not. Outcomes at various time points after surgery were also assessed in relation to the persistence or resolution of sleep disturbance.

STUDY DESIGN

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Patients undergoing primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair at a tertiary academic center were prospectively enrolled in a registry database. Patient characteristics were obtained preoperatively and validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were obtained pre- and postoperatively, including the visual analog scale for pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, Simple Shoulder Test, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey Physical and Mental components. Sleep disturbance was evaluated via responses to Simple Shoulder Test question 2. Patients with and without sleep disturbance were compared before and after surgery.

RESULTS

In total, 293 patients were prospectively enrolled. A total of 262 (89.8%) patients reported a sleep disturbance preoperatively. Of these, 221 (84.4%) reported a resolution of sleep disturbance by 2 years postoperatively. After adjustment for age, workers' compensation status, and Cofield tear size, patients with a preoperative sleep disturbance reported significantly worse baseline PROMs, apart from the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey Mental component, before surgery. However, postoperatively, these patients had greater improvement in PROMs, and no significant remaining differences were seen at follow-up between patients with and without preoperative sleep disturbance. Among patients who reported a preoperative sleep disturbance, those whose symptoms resolved postoperatively had superior PROM scores as well as significantly greater improvements from preoperative baseline values compared with patients with persistent sleep disturbances after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Patients with preoperative sleep disturbances reported worse baseline functional scores before rotator cuff repair compared with patients without sleep disturbance. These disturbances largely resolved after surgery, with postoperative outcomes comparable with those of patients who reported no preoperative sleep concerns. Patients whose sleep disturbances resolved postoperatively also reported superior PROM scores compared with patients whose sleep disturbances persisted postoperatively.

A qualitative assessment of experiences and perception during pre-admission for rotator cuff repair surgery

BACKGROUND

Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain (RCRSP) is the most common type of shoulder pain and the most disabling common symptom in people with Rotator Cuff Tear (RCT). The patient's point of view concerning health status has become important in decision-making procedures and has therefore been considered a possible criterion standard for assessing treatment efficacy. The study aims to explore patients' experiences and perceptions during pre-admission for Rotator Cuff Repair surgery.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using a phenomenological approach based on Husserl's philosophical perspective. A consecutive sample of twenty RCT patients awaiting repair surgery agreed to participate and was interviewed until the information was saturated. None of the patients enrolled was lost during the data collection phases. Data were collected through open-ended interviews between December 2021 and January 2022. The credibility, reliability, confirmability, and transferability criteria of Lincoln and Guba have been adopted to guarantee the trustworthiness of the results. The data analysis was conducted according to inductive content analysis.

RESULTS

Four main themes and sub-themes related to each have been identified from the phenomenological analysis. The major themes were: (1) Pain changes lifestyle habits, (2) Pain control requires specific strategies, (3) Suffering turns time into waiting, (4) Waiting for Surgery between trust and fear.

CONCLUSION

Investigating patients' experiences and the emotional impact of Rotator Cuff Tear facilitates the development of specific educational and therapeutic strategies to improve care and post-intervention outcomes.

The preferable shoulder position can isolate supraspinatus activity superior to the classic empty can test: an electromyographic study

BACKGROUND

Supraspinatus (SSP) strength tests are an important shoulder examination tool for clinical evaluations of patients with a suspected SSP tear. While the empty can (EC) test is widely used to diagnose SSP dysfunction, the test cannot selectively activate SSP activity. The aim of this study was to access the electromyographic (EMG) activity within SSP, deltoid, and surrounding periscapular muscles after resisted abduction force to determine which shoulder position helps best isolate SSP from deltoid activity.

METHODS

A controlled laboratory EMG study was conducted. Specifically, we conducted an EMG analysis of the seven periscapular muscles (i.e., the middle deltoid, anterior deltoid, SSP, upper trapezius, posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and pectoralis major) in 21 healthy participants, without any history of shoulder disorder, aged 29 ± 0.9 years old with a dominant-right arm. EMG activities were measured during resisted abduction force according to comprehensive shoulder positions in abduction, horizontal flexion, and humeral rotation. The supraspinatus to middle deltoid (S:D) ratio was calculated using the standardized weighted EMG and the maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the SSP and middle deltoid muscles, for each shoulder position to determine the best isolated SSP muscle strength test position. Results were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test for non-normally distributed data.

RESULTS

Shoulder abduction, horizontal flexion, and humeral rotation significantly affected the activity of the middle deltoid, SSP, and S:D ratio (P < 0.05). The S:D ratio increased significantly in lower degrees of shoulder abduction, lower degrees of horizontal flexion, and external humeral rotation over internal rotation. The greatest S:D ratio (3.4 (0.5-9.1)) occurred at the shoulder position of 30° shoulder abduction combined with 30° horizontal flexion and external humeral rotation. Conversely, the classic EC position manifested nearly the smallest S:D ratio (0.8 (0.2-1.2)).

CONCLUSION

Application of the SSP strength test in the shoulder position of 30 degrees abduction, 30 degrees horizontal flexion, and external humeral rotation offers the best position to isolate the abducting activity of the SSP from that of the deltoid, which could help with diagnosis among patients with chronic shoulder pain with a suspected SSP tear condition.

Psychometric properties of quantitative sensory testing in healthy and patients with shoulder pain: A systematic review

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a psychophysical battery of various tests developed to quantify the subjects' self-reported sensory experience. Although the use of QST is valuable for the clinical assessment of pain, standard evaluation protocols have not yet been established. This systematic review aimed to investigate the level of evidence for the psychometric properties of QST in healthy and patients with shoulder pain. Eight databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published until August 2021. The methodological quality of studies was evaluated using the COSMIN checklist. Twelve studies were included for qualitative synthesis, which included three different tests (Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) and Temporal Summation (TS)). As the body of evidence consisted of studies of low methodological quality, the psychometric properties of PPT, CPM, and TS in healthy and patients with shoulder pain were classified as unknown. Although there is a risk that the conclusions may be 'superficial' in nature, the reliability seems to be nearly excellent for the PPT, however, the protocols' variation and the low methodological quality of the studies do not allow for clear conclusions. Further studies are required for the CPM and TS in patients with shoulder pain.

IRO/Shift Test Is Comparable to the Jobe Test for Detection of Supraspinatus Lesions

To determine how the internal rotation and shift (IRO/shift) test compares to the gold standard of clinical tests (Jobe test) for diagnosing supraspinatus lesions and to confirm these clinical results with surgical findings, 100 symptomatic patients were clinically examined between October 2018 and November 2019. All 100 patients were evaluated using both the IRO/shift test and Jobe test. A total of 48 of these patients received surgical intervention. Based on these data, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy for both the IRO/shift test and Jobe test were calculated. The IRO/shift test had a sensitivity of 96% (95% CI: 82–100%), specificity of 50% (95% CI: 27–73%), PPV of 73% (95% CI: 56–86%), NPV of 91% (95% CI: 59–100%), and an accuracy of 77% (95% CI: 63–88%). The Jobe test had a sensitivity of 89% (95% CI: 72–98%), specificity of 60% (95% CI: 36–81%), PPV of 76% (95% CI: 58–89%), NPV of 80% (95% CI: 52–96%), and an accuracy of 77% (95% CI: 54–81%). These results suggest that the IRO/shift test is comparable to the Jobe test, which is often viewed as the gold standard clinical examination for assessing supraspinatus lesions. This study was approved by the Ethics Commission of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (reference number: 2018-05).

Majority of patients find sleep patterns return to normal 6 months following rotator cuff repair

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Rotator cuff tears have a wide variability in presentation, with some causing pain and reduced function but others remaining completely asymptomatic. Sleep disturbances are a primary driver for patients with rotator cuff tears to see a physician, and one of the main goals of rotator cuff repair (RCR) surgery is to restore normal sleep patterns in these patients. The primary purpose of this study aimed to determine the percentage of patients undergoing RCR who report preoperative sleep disturbances. Second, this study sought to identify at what postoperative follow-up intervals patients stopped reporting sleep disturbances and how the percentages change over time. It was hypothesized that the majority of patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR would report preoperative and initial postoperative sleep disturbances and that 75% of patients would report resolution of sleep disturbances by 1 year postoperatively.

METHODS

A total of 326 patients undergoing primary arthroscopic RCR were prospectively enrolled in this study. Validated patient-reported outcome measures were obtained preoperatively and postoperatively, including the visual analog pain scale score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey physical and mental component scores.

RESULTS

According to question 2 of the SST, 291 patients (89%) reported preoperative sleep disturbances. Within the cohort of patients who reported resolution of sleep disturbances, 46% reported resolution by 3 months postoperatively; an additional 31%, by 6 months; a further 14%, by 12 months; and the final 8%, by 24 months. Age ≥ 65 years was significantly associated with increased reporting of resolution compared with age < 65 years. All patient-reported outcome measures, including the visual analog pain scale score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation score, SST score, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (physical component) score, showed statistically significant improvements after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Eighty-nine percent of patients reported preoperative sleep disturbances. Seventy-seven percent of patients reported resolution of sleep disturbances by 6 months postoperatively, and 81% of patients reported resolution of sleep disturbances by 2 years postoperatively.

Subacromial balloon spacer for irreparable rotator cuff tears of the shoulder (START:REACTS): a group-sequential, double-blind, multicentre randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

New surgical procedures can expose patients to harm and should be carefully evaluated before widespread use. The InSpace balloon (Stryker, USA) is an innovative surgical device used to treat people with rotator cuff tears that cannot be repaired. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of the InSpace balloon for people with irreparable rotator cuff tears.

METHODS

We conducted a double-blind, group-sequential, adaptive randomised controlled trial in 24 hospitals in the UK, comparing arthroscopic debridement of the subacromial space with biceps tenotomy (debridement only group) with the same procedure but including insertion of the InSpace balloon (debridement with device group). Participants had an irreparable rotator cuff tear, which had not resolved with conservative treatment, and they had symptoms warranting surgery. Eligibility was confirmed intraoperatively before randomly assigning (1:1) participants to a treatment group using a remote computer system. Participants and assessors were masked to group assignment. Masking was achieved by using identical incisions for both procedures, blinding the operation note, and a consistent rehabilitation programme was offered regardless of group allocation. The primary outcome was the Oxford Shoulder Score at 12 months. Pre-trial simulations using data from early and late timepoints informed stopping boundaries for two interim analyses. The primary analysis was on a modified intention-to-treat basis, adjusted for the planned interim analysis. The trial was registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN17825590.

FINDINGS

Between June 1, 2018, and July 30, 2020, we assessed 385 people for eligibility, of which 317 were eligible. 249 (79%) people consented for inclusion in the study. 117 participants were randomly allocated to a treatment group, 61 participants to the debridement only group and 56 to the debridement with device group. A predefined stopping boundary was met at the first interim analysis and recruitment stopped with 117 participants randomised. 43% of participants were female, 57% were male. We obtained primary outcome data for 114 (97%) participants. The mean Oxford Shoulder Score at 12 months was 34·3 (SD 11·1) in the debridement only group and 30·3 (10·9) in the debridement with device group (mean difference adjusted for adaptive design -4·2 [95% CI -8·2 to -0·26];p=0·037) favouring control. There was no difference in adverse events between the two groups.

INTERPRETATION

In an efficient, adaptive trial design, our results favoured the debridement only group. We do not recommend the InSpace balloon for the treatment of irreparable rotator cuff tears.

FUNDING

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research partnership.

Shoulder Surgery as an Effective Treatment for Shoulder-Related Sleep Disturbance: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the current literature in an effort to investigate sleep quality and disturbances and the association with clinical outcomes of patients undergoing shoulder surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. All English-language literature reporting clinical outcomes and sleep quality and disturbance after shoulder surgery was reviewed by 2 independent reviewers. Outcomes assessed included patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and sleep quality. Specific PROs included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Rating Scale, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Score (ASES). Study methodology was assessed using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score. Descriptive statistics are presented.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies (11 level IV, 2 level III, 3 level II) with a total of 2748 shoulders were included (age, 12-91 years; follow-up, 0.25-132 months). In total, 2198 shoulders underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR), 131 shoulders underwent arthroscopic capsular release, 372 shoulders underwent total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), 18 shoulders underwent comprehensive arthroscopic management, and 29 shoulders underwent sternoclavicular joint procedures. All shoulder surgeries improved self-reported sleep and PROs from before to after surgery. In RCR patients, PSQI scores were significantly associated with VAS scores, SST scores (r = 0.453, r = -0.490, P < .05, respectively), but not significantly associated with UCLA Shoulder rating scale or the ASES scores (r = 0.04, r = 0.001, P > .05, respectively). In TSA patients, PSQI scores were significantly associated with ASES scores (r = -0.08, P < .05). All 4 RCR studies and 1 TSA study using PSQI found significant improvements in mean PSQI scores within 6 to 24 months (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical intervention for rotator cuff tear and glenohumeral osteoarthritis significantly improves self-reported sleep in patients with shoulder pain. However, there remains a dearth of available studies assessing the effects of surgical intervention for adhesive capsulitis, sternoclavicular joint instability, and sternoclavicular osteoarthritis on sleep. Future studies should use sleep-specific PROs and quantitative measures of sleep to further elucidate the relationship between sleep and the effect of shoulder surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level II-IV studies.

Frozen shoulder: living with uncertainty and being in "no-man's land"

BACKGROUND

Frozen Shoulder (FS) is a painful debilitating condition that is a significant burden to those experiencing it and healthcare systems. Despite research investigating the pathogenesis and effective treatment for the condition, there is a paucity of research exploring how having frozen shoulder is lived through and meaningful to persons experiencing it.

OBJECTIVE

To explore how living with Frozen Shoulder is experienced and meaningful.

METHODS

A qualitative research study design using hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was used. In-depth unstructured interviews were conducted with six purposively recruited participants. Interpretive Phenomenological methods were used to analyze the data forming emergent, superordinate and master themes to qualitatively expose the meaningful aspects of living through FS.

FINDINGS

Five Master themes were identified: 1) "Dropping me to my knees," an incredible pain experience; 2) The struggle for normality; 3) An emotional change of self; 4) The challenges of the healthcare journey; and 5) Coping and adapting. The overarching 'binding theme' was Frozen Shoulder: Living with uncertainty and being in "no-man's land."

CONCLUSIONS

This study illuminated the struggle to maintain a normal life while living with the significant pain, physical restriction, sleep loss and disability experienced by persons with Frozen Shoulder. Attempts to cope and adapt were impeded by the challenges of the healthcare journey. The uncertainty of these experiences was conveyed as being in "no man's land" an expression that reflected the existential crisis and impact on persons' sense of self.

Rotator cuff repair vs. nonoperative treatment: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff (RC) tears have been widely studied as many treatment strategies have been recommended. However, optimal management for patients with RC tears is still unclear.

PURPOSE

The main aim of this systematic review was to analyze randomized controlled trials using meta-analysis to compare repair to conservative treatments for patients with any type of RC tear.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL database), PEDro, and Scopus databases were used. Two independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials that compared surgical to conservative treatments for RC tear patients. The studies included were assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tools, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence and to summarize the study conclusions.

RESULTS

Six trials were included. Pooled results showed improvement in function and pain perception in favor of the repair group at 6 months (mean difference 1.26, 95% CI -2.34, 4.85, P = .49; and -0.59, 95% CI -0.84, -0.33, P < .001, respectively), at 12 months (mean difference 5.25, 95% CI 1.55, 8.95, P = .005, for function; and -0.41, 95% CI -0.70, -0.12, P = .006, for pain) and at 24 months (mean difference 5.57, 95% CI 1.86, 9.29, P = .003, for function; and -0.92, 95% CI -1.31, -0.52, P < .001, for pain) in RC tear patients. However, these differences did not reach the minimum clinically important difference. The certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate because of imprecision in the studies included.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall analysis showed that in patients with RC tear, repair compared with conservative treatment could result in increased pain reduction and functional improvement at 6, 12, and 24 months. Even if these effects were often statistically significant, their clinical relevance was limited. Moreover, the certainty of body of evidence ranged from low to moderate.

Which Risk Factors Are Associated with Pain and Patient-reported Function in Patients with a Rotator Cuff Tear?

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported measures guide physicians in clinical decision making and therefore it is critical to determine what clinical factors are associated with these scores. Psychological and physical factors are commonly studied separately in patients with rotator cuff tears to determine their influence on outcomes. It is well established that psychological distress and scapular motion change in the presence of a symptomatic rotator cuff tear. However, these factors have not been studied simultaneously in a clinical setting to determine their association with shoulder outcome scores.

QUESTION/PURPOSE

After controlling for relevant confounding variables, what physical and psychological factors are associated with better (1) American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores for function, (2) ASES pain scores, and (3) total ASES scores?

METHODS

Fifty-nine patients with a potential symptomatic rotator cuff tear were recruited and agreed to participate in this cross-sectional study. Of those, 85% (50 of 59) met eligibility criteria for a primary diagnosis of an MRI-confirmed symptomatic partial-thickness or full-thickness rotator cuff tear without a history of shoulder surgery. Demographics, rotator cuff tear size, arm flexion, and clinical scapular motion during active arm flexion were evaluated by experienced examiners using standardized procedures. Patients completed the ASES questionnaire and the Optimal Screening for Prediction of Referral and Outcomes-Yellow Flag assessment form, which measures 11 different pain-related psychological distress symptoms. Three separate stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were performed for ASES pain, function, and total scores, with significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

This model found that ASES function scores were associated with four factors: older age, increased arm flexion, increased percentage of scapular external rotation during arm flexion, and increased scores for acceptance of chronic pain (adjusted r2 = 0.67; p = 0.01). Those four factors appear to explain 67% of the observed variance in ASES function scores in patients with rotator cuff tears. Furthermore, increased percentage of scapular external rotation during arm flexion and decreased fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity scores (adjusted r2 = 0.36; p < 0.01) were associated with better ASES pain scores. And finally, better ASES total scores were associated with four factors: increased arm flexion, increased percentage of scapular upward rotation, increased scapular external rotation during arm flexion, and decreased fear-avoidance beliefs related to physical activity scores (adjusted r2 = 0.65; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our results favor adopting a comprehensive biopsychological clinical assessment for patients with rotator cuff tears that specifically includes humeral and scapular motion, fear-avoidance behaviors, and pain coping behaviors along with demographics. These particular physical and psychological variables were found to be associated with the ASES and, therefore, should be clinically examined simultaneously and targeted as part of a tailored treatment plan.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prognostic study.

Shoulder Pain and Disability Index: Italian cross-cultural validation in patients with non-specific shoulder pain

BACKGROUND

Health-related patient reported outcome measures are considered essential to determine the impact of disease on the life of individuals. Aim of this study is to culturally adapt the Italian version of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). The secondary aim is to evaluate psychometric proprieties in patients with non-specific shoulder pain.

METHODS

The current study is an analysis of a sample of 59 adult patients with non-specific shoulder pain. The SPADI was translated and cross-culturally adapted, and then psychometric properties were tested. Participants completed the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index-Italian (SPADI-I), 36-item short form health survey, the Oxford Shoulder Score, the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale and a pain intensity visual analogue scale.

RESULTS

SPADI-I included two domains. Internal consistency analysis showed good values for total (α = 0.84) and subscales (α = 0.94 and α = 0.76). For construct validity, there was good correlation between the visual analogue scale, the Oxford Shoulder Score, the DASH and the SPADI-I total score and subscales. Standard error of measurement and minimally detectable change were calculated.

CONCLUSIONS

The SPADI-I was culturally adapted into Italian. SPADI-I is centred on pain and disability of the shoulder only and can be considered as a useful tool in daily clinical practice for assessing musculoskeletal non-specific shoulder pain because of its good internal consistency and validity. Further studies should focus on other psychometric proprieties such as test re-test reliability, responsiveness and clinical interpretability to improve the available clinimetrics of the tool.

Current concepts in the rehabilitation of rotator cuff related disorders

Rotator cuff related disorders (RCRD) are common. Exercise-based rehabilitation can improve outcomes, yet uncertainty exists regarding the characteristics of these exercises. This scoping review paper summarises the key characteristics of the exercise-based rehabilitation of rotator cuff related disorders (RCRD). An iterative search process was used to capture the breadth of current evidence and a narrative summary of the data was produced. 57 papers were included. Disagreement around terminology, diagnostic standards, and outcome measures limits the comparison of the data. Rehabilitation should utilise a biopsychosocial approach, be person-centred and foster self-efficacy. Biomedically framed beliefs can create barriers to rehabilitation. Pain drivers in RCRSD are unclear, as is the influence of pain during exercise on outcomes. Expectations and preferences around pain levels should be discussed to allow the co-creation of a programme that is tolerated and therefore engaged with. The optimal parameters of exercise-based rehabilitation remain unclear; however, programmes should be individualised and progressive, with a minimum duration of 12 weeks. Supervised or home-based exercises are equally effective. Following rotator cuff repair, rehabilitation should be milestone-driven and individualised; communication across the MDT is essential. For individuals with massive rotator cuff tears, the anterior deltoid programme is a useful starting point and should be supplemented by functional rehabilitation, exercises to optimise any remaining cuff and the rest of the kinetic chain. In conclusion, exercise-based rehabilitation improves outcomes for individuals with a range of RCRD. The optimal parameters of these exercises remain unclear. Variation exists across current physiotherapy practice and post-operative rehabilitation protocols, reflecting the wide-ranging spectrum of individuals presenting with RCRD. Clinicians should use their communication and rehabilitation expertise to plan an exercise-based program in conjunction with the individual with RCRSD, which is regularly reviewed and adjusted.

Measuring outcomes in rotator cuff disorders

Measuring the outcome of treatment for rotator cuff disorders has evolved over the last three decades. Objective surgeon-derived outcomes such as clinical examination findings and imaging of the rotator cuff have the limitation of marginalising the patients perception of their condition. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) have evolved and become popular in an attempt to demonstrate meaningful outcome data. There are a large number in use today and as a result, the heterogeneity of scores used across the literature can make comparison difficult. Patient reported outcome scores can be general health related quality of life scores, joint-specific and disease specific. Qualitative outcomes are also being used now, and these help us to better understand the context of quantitative research scores. In this article, we provide an overview of the outcome measures used in rotator cuff disorders.

Rotator cuff unloading versus loading exercise program in the conservative treatment of patients with rotator cuff tear: protocol of a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Atraumatic and degenerative rotator cuff tears are common in individuals over 55 years of age. This condition can have a high impact on social life and is associated with chronic pain, weakness and dysfunction of the upper limb. There is evidence that conservative approaches should be the first treatment option. Conservative treatment usually addresses a variety of therapeutic behaviours without providing scientific arguments for the choice and progression of exercises.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of two different exercise programmes based on the load of the rotator cuff on a population with shoulder pain and rotator cuff tears.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a controlled, randomised, blinded clinical trial. Seventy-eight individuals with shoulder pain and presence of atraumatic and degenerative rotator cuff tear will participate and will be randomly distributed between two groups. The primary outcome will be quality of life (The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index), and secondary outcomes will include pain, function (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand), fear avoidance beliefs (Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire-Brazil), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale), Pain Catastrophizing Scale, muscle strength of abductors, external and internal rotators of the shoulder, range of motion of arm elevation and patient satisfaction. The treatment will be performed for 12 weeks (2 x/week) acording to the selected group (Rotator Cuff Unloading x Rotator Cuff Loading Exercise Programme).

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board. The findings of the trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03962231.

Surgical and Non-Surgical Interventions in Complete Rotator Cuff Tears

BACKGROUND

This systematic review compares the efficacy and safety of surgical and non-surgical interventions for full- thickness rotator cuff tears.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in five databases. Randomized (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials of interventions (non-RCTs) for the surgical or non-surgical treatment of patients with traumatic or atraumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears were included. The review protocol was published in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42018100343).

RESULTS

Ten studies (three RCTs with 332 participants; seven non-RCTs with 650 participants) met the inclusion criteria. One year after treatment, shoulder function, measured with the 100-point Constant score, had improved by 6.7 points (95% confidence interval [2.3; 11.0]) and pain, measured with the 10-cm visual analog scale, by 1.1 cm (0.5; 1.7] in the full-thickness rotator cuff tears treated surgically compared with non-surgical treatment. In one study the difference in favor of surgery persisted after 10 years' follow-up. For other outcomes, such as range of motion, muscle strength, quality of life, and adverse events, the data were sparse and the group differences were similar. The findings of the non-RCTs were comparable with those of the RCTs.

CONCLUSION

With regard to functional improvement and pain reduction, surgical treatment of full-thickness rotator cuff tears was superior to non-surgical treatment in the short and the long term. Whether the differences between the groups are relevant for individual cases is uncertain, as the measured results were distributed below and above the threshold of clinical relevance. The conclusions may not be applicable to rotator cuff tears over 3 cm in size or to young persons.

Comparative Time to Improvement in Nonoperative and Operative Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tears

BACKGROUND

Comparative time to recovery after operative and nonoperative treatment for rotator cuff tears is an important consideration for patients. Hence, we compared the time to achieve clinically meaningful reduction in shoulder pain and function after treatment.

METHODS

From February 2011 to June 2015, a multicenter cohort of patients with rotator cuff tears undergoing operative or nonoperative treatment was recruited. After propensity score weighting, the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the time to achieve a minimal clinically important difference (MCID), >30% reduction, and >50% reduction in the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores. (In our analysis, both ASES and SPADI were coded such that a lower number corresponded to a better outcome; thus, the word "reduction" was used to indicate improvement in both ASES and SPADI scores.) A 2-stage test was conducted to detect a difference between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

In this cohort, 96 patients underwent nonoperative treatment and 73 patients underwent a surgical procedure. The surgical treatment group and the nonoperative treatment group were significantly different with respect to SPADI and ASES scores (p < 0.05). The maximum difference between groups in achievement of the MCID for the SPADI scores was at 3.25 months, favoring the nonoperative treatment group. The probability to achieve the MCID was 0.06 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.00 to 0.12) for the surgical treatment group compared with 0.40 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.50) for the nonoperative treatment group. The surgical treatment group had a greater probability of achieving >50% reduction in SPADI scores at 15.49 months (0.20 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.29] for the surgical treatment group compared with 0.04 [95% CI, 0.00 to 0.09] for the nonoperative treatment group). The surgical treatment group had a greater probability of achieving >50% reduction in ASES scores at 24.74 months (0.96 [95% CI, 0.84 to 0.99] for the surgical treatment group compared with 0.66 [95% CI, 0.53 to 0.75] for the nonoperative treatment group). The differences for >30% reduction in SPADI and ASES scores and the MCID for ASES scores were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing nonoperative treatment had significantly better outcomes in the initial follow-up period compared with patients undergoing a surgical procedure, but this trend reversed in the longer term. These data can be used to inform expectations for nonoperative and operative treatments for rotator cuff tears.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Seven Key Themes in Physical Therapy Advice for Patients Living With Subacromial Shoulder Pain: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically scope the reported advice and education in physical therapy management of patients with subacromial shoulder pain, and to define key themes of the advice and education.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

LITERATURE SEARCH

We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL, with publication dates from 2007 to September 2019.

STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA

We included quantitative and qualitative research that reported on physical therapy interventions for subacromial shoulder pain.

DATA SYNTHESIS

We performed a qualitative synthesis that identified items included in patient advice and education.

RESULTS

Of 89 original studies included, there were 61 randomized controlled trials; 5 prospective studies; 16 nonrandomized observational intervention studies or case series; and 7 surveys, audits of physical therapy patient records, and focus groups with physical therapists. We identified 7 key themes for advice and education: exercise intensity and pain response, activity modification advice, posture advice, pain self-management advice, pathoanatomical and diagnosis information, behavioral approaches, and pain biology advice.

CONCLUSION

While advice focused predominantly on the local tissue pathology model, 10% of studies included information about pain neuroscience education, psychosocial factors, motor imagery, or behavior change. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(6):285-293. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9152.

The effect of psychological factors on pain, function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Psychological factors may affect the pain level, shoulder function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the prevalence of psychological factors reported in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy; and to determine the association between psychological factors and pain, function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review METHODS: Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science were systematically searched from inception to June 2019. Studies that investigated patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of rotator cuff tendinopathy, and reported psychological variables and patient-reported outcome measures including pain, shoulder function or disability and quality of life.

RESULTS

A total of 14 studies were included. Our results showed that 22.8%-26.2% of patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy reported depression; 23% reported anxiety; and 70.2%-89% of patients reported sleep disturbance or insomnia. Overall, nine psychological factors were identified to be associated with pain, function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy. Low-to-moderate quality of evidence suggests that various psychological factors are associated with pain, function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy CONCLUSION: This review identified various psychological factors may affect the pain level, shoulder function and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy, and the causal relationship warrants future high-quality prospective studies.

Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of Subacromial spacer for Tears Affecting Rotator cuff Tendons: a Randomised, Efficient, Adaptive Clinical Trial in Surgery (START:REACTS)

INTRODUCTION

Shoulder pain due to irreparable rotator cuff tears can cause substantial disability, but treatment options are limited. A balloon spacer is a relatively simple addition to a standard arthroscopic debridement procedure, but it is costly and there is no current randomised trial evidence to support its use. This trial will evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a subacromial balloon spacer for individuals undergoing arthroscopic debridement for irreparable rotator cuff tears.New surgical procedures can provide substantial benefit to patients. Good quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are needed, but trials in surgery are typically long and expensive, exposing patients to risk and the healthcare system to substantial costs. One way to improve the efficiency of trials is with an adaptive sample size. Such methods are well established in drug trials but have rarely, if ever, been used in surgical trials.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Subacromial spacer for Tears Affecting Rotator cuff Tendons: a Randomised, Efficient, Adaptive Clinical Trial in Surgery (START:REACTS) is a participant and assessor blinded, adaptive, multicentre RCT comparing arthroscopic debridement with the InSpace balloon (Stryker, USA) to arthroscopic debridement alone for people with a symptomatic irreparable rotator cuff tear. It uses a group sequential adaptive design where interim analyses are performed using all of the 3, 6 and 12-month data that are available at each time point. A maximum of 221 participants will be randomised (1:1 ratio), this will provide 90% power (at the 5% level) for a 6 point difference in the primary outcome; the Oxford Shoulder Score at 12 months. A substudy will use deltoid-active MRI scans in 56 participants to assess the function of the balloon. Analysis will be on an intention-to-treat basis and reported according to principles established in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

NRES number 18/WM/0025. The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, presentations at conferences, lay summaries and social media.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN17825590.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Italian version of the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ) demonstrated promising psychometric properties, but currently there is no evidence of an Italian version.

OBJECTIVE

To cross-culturally adapt the Italian version of the SDQ (SDQ-I) and to explore its psychometric properties in patients with non-specific shoulder pain (SP).

METHODS

The SDQ-I was translated according to international guidelines and administered to 105 patients with SP. The SDQ-I scores were compared with Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Structural validity (Exploratory Factor Analysis [EFA]), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC]), measurement error (Standard Error of the Measurement [SEM], Minimal Detectable Change [MDC]), and construct validity (hypothesis testing with correlation of the DASH, NPRS, and SF-36) were explored.

RESULTS

The EFA identified two subscales (activity and participation-psychosocial factors). The internal consistency was supported for activity (α = 0.78), but not for participation-psychosocial subscales (α = 0.45). Both subscales demonstrated high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.97 [95%CI = 0.96-0.98] and ICC = 0.95 [95%CI = 0.93-0.97]), a SEM of 5.8% and 7.0%, and a MDC of 15% and 19% for the first and second subscale, respectively. Construct validity was satisfactory, as >75% of the expected correlations were met for each subscale.

CONCLUSIONS

The SDQ-I was successfully cross-cultural adapted into Italian and proved to be valid for patients with non-specific SP, but its reliability should be further assessed, as internal consistency of the participation-psychosocial subscale showed some psychometric flaws. Further research is needed to refine the instrument.

Adaptation and transcultural translation of the Rotator Cuff Quality of Life questionnaire into Spanish

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was the transcultural adaptation of the Rotator Cuff Quality of Life questionnaire and the determination of the reliability and validity of the questionnaire in the Spanish population with rotator cuff disease. One of the translators was a physiotherapist, and the other was an English philologist.

METHODS

The participants comprised 170 subjects with rotator cuff pathology. Test-retest reliability was established by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Internal consistency was established using the Cronbach α. Convergent validity was established by comparison with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, Spanish version of the Oxford Shoulder Score, and Spanish version of the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability index using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Estimation of the error in the measurements was calculated with the standard error of measurement. Assessment of reproducibility was performed with 30 minutes between the first and second administrations of the questionnaire.

RESULTS

The Cronbach α was 0.99, showing high internal consistency. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.9 (95% confidence interval, 0.99-0.99; P < .001), indicating high test-retest reliability. The Spearman correlation coefficient showed a good relationship in all cases: Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, ρ = 0.9 (P < .001); Oxford Shoulder Score, ρ = 0.7 (P < .001); Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, ρ = 0.8 (P < .001); and Western Ontario Shoulder Instability index, ρ = 0.8 (P < .001). The standard error of measurement indicated little variability in the measurements (2.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the Rotator Cuff Quality of Life questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for the subjective evaluation of patients with a diagnosis of rotator cuff pathology in the Spanish population.

Objective assessment of sleep quality in patients with rotator cuff tears

INTRODUCTION

Sleep dysfunction in patients with rotator cuff tears has been previously evaluated only using subjective measures. Objective parameters of sleep quality amongst rotator cuff tear patients are scarce in the literature. The aim of this study is to compare objective sleep data to historical controls and to subjective patient-reported sleep quality in patients with rotator cuff tears.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that patients with rotator cuff tears would demonstrate objectively poor sleep quality based on actigraphy when compared to a historical control group. Secondarily, we hypothesize that objective sleep quality measures will correlate poorly with traditionally used questionnaires and other subjective assessments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears wore a highly validated activity monitor for 2 consecutive weeks for objective assessment and completed a sleep diary during the same period. Patients completed multiple questionnaires pertaining to their shoulder function and subjective assessment of sleep quality. Objective sleep assessments were compared to patients' sleep diary data and to subjective sleep data from a historical cohort of 969 healthy adults aged 57-97 years.

RESULTS

Mean total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency were all significantly worse in the study cohort compared to the historical cohort (p=0.0338, p=0.0040, p<0.0001, and p=0.0474, respectively). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores did not correlate with sleep efficiency (r=0.3143, p=0.2040) or WASO (r=-0.3068, p=0.2153). Visual analog scale scores correlated with PSQI scores (r=0.5260, p=0.0249) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores (r=0.4863, p=0.0407). Patients tended to overreport their time spent asleep via a sleep diary compared to objective time asleep (p=0.0050).

DISCUSSION

This study of objective sleep measures demonstrated poor sleep quality in patients with rotator cuff tears with shorter sleep duration, frequent awakenings, and decreased efficiency. Subjective assessments of sleep did not correlate with objective findings.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective cohort study.

Is rotator cuff related shoulder pain a multidimensional disorder? An exploratory study

Background and aims

Rotator cuff related shoulder pain has been associated with factors from multiple dimensions such as strength changes, psychosocial measures, comorbidities and level of education. However, to date little research has been undertaken to evaluate which factors explain the greatest variance in pain and disability levels in people with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate which multidimensional examination findings were associated with higher pain and disability in a primary care cohort with rotator cuff related shoulder pain.

Methods

This was an exploratory cross-sectional cohort study. Sixty-seven participants with rotator cuff related shoulder pain were assessed for: pain intensity, disability; demographic, psychological, social and lifestyle characteristics, and isometric strength of shoulder internal and external rotator muscles. Univariable associations between pain intensity/disability and each variable were assessed using linear regression. Variables with univariable associations (p < 0.1) were entered into backwards stepwise multivariable regression models.

Results

The multivariable model for pain intensity included sleep and perceived persistence and explained 46.5% of the variance (37.6% uniquely by sleep, 5.4% uniquely by perceived persistence). The multivariable model for disability included sleep and sex and explained 26.8% of the variance (4.5% shared by predictors, 16.4% uniquely by sleep, 5.9% uniquely by sex).

Conclusions

Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain and disability are associated with sleep disturbance, perceived symptom persistence and sex. Rotator cuff related shoulder pain may be considered a multidimensional disorder.

Implications

Clinicians need to evaluate sleep and perceived symptom persistence in people with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. Future research may examine whether management strategies for RCRSP directed towards these factors afford improved treatment outcomes.

Sleep Disturbance and Rotator Cuff Tears: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Sleep disorders are one of the most common complaints of patients with rotator cuff (RC) tears. However, potential correlations between the treatment of RC tears and the causal factors of sleep disorders are still under discussion. The aim of this review is to evaluate quality of sleep in patients before and after surgery for RC tears and to identify which factors affected patients’ sleep. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted. To provide high quality of the review, the included studies were evaluated with the standardized tool “Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies” developed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project. Results: The search strategy yielded 78 articles. After duplicate removal and titles, abstracts and full-texts review, four studies were included in the systematic review. Concerning shoulder function, the most frequently reported scale was the Simple Shoulder Test (SST). Regarding sleep quality, the most frequently reported score was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Conclusion: We found that the majority of patients with RC tears had a sleep disturbance, especially before surgery with a general improvement in sleep quality post-operatively. Moreover, sleep quality was correlated with pain and it also seems that factors as comorbidities, obligatory position during night time, preoperative and prolonged postoperative use of narcotics and psychiatric issues may play an important role in sleep quality.

Test-retest reliability of the ASES-p shoulder scale

INTRODUCTION

Shoulder disorders are common musculoskeletal problems. The self-assessed ASES questionnaire (ASES-p) is one of the most widely used tools for evaluating shoulder function. Its 11 items are divided in a function (10 items) and pain (1 item) dimension, assigned between 0 and 50 points each. Their sum is the scale's total score, with higher values indicating better health status. The current work explores the test-retest reliability of the Spanish version of the ASES-p score values.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The scale was administered twice to a sample of subjects with various shoulder pathologies, via telephone interviews performed at 3-7 days apart. Exact agreement was calculated on an item and score basis. Score variability was assessed with the 95% limits of agreement method (LoA).

RESULTS

N = 161 subjects were initially contacted, and a total of 82 stable health status subjects provided valid test-retest replies. "Do usual sport" was the only item with missing data. Exact agreement oscillated between 67 and 89% per item. The 95% LoA ranged between -5.9 and 6.9 points for function; -13.2 to 11.9 for pain and -10.3 to 10.1 for the total ASES-p score.

CONCLUSIONS

Test-retest reliability in stable patients was considered acceptable for the function and total scores, but not for pain. This may reflect usual pain behaviour, but it also implies that the pain evaluation should be further studied. The ASES-p pain subscore should not be used as the single measure for monitoring shoulder pain. Revisiting the "do usual sports" item may increase the scale's applicability.

Patients' experience of shoulder disorders: a systematic review of qualitative studies for the OMERACT Shoulder Core Domain Set

OBJECTIVES

To describe the experiences (including symptoms and perceived impacts on daily living) of people with a shoulder disorder.

METHODS

Systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched for eligible qualitative studies indexed in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL (EBSCO), SportDiscus (EBSCO) and Ovid PsycINFO up until November 2017. Two authors independently screened studies for inclusion, appraised their methodological quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist, used thematic synthesis methods to generate themes describing the experiences reported by participants and assessed the confidence in the findings using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) approach.

RESULTS

The inclusion criteria were met by eight studies, which included 133 participants (49 females and 84 males) with either rotator cuff disease, adhesive capsulitis, proximal humeral fracture, shoulder instability or unspecified shoulder pain. We generated seven themes to describe what people in the included studies reported experiencing: pain; physical function/activity limitations; participation restriction; sleep disruption; cognitive dysfunction; emotional distress; and other pathophysiological manifestations (other than pain). There were interactions between the themes, with particular experiences impacting on others (e.g. pain leading to reduced activities and sleep disruption). Following grading of the evidence, we considered it likely that most of the review findings were a reasonable representation of the experiences of people with shoulder disorders.

CONCLUSION

Patients with shoulder disorders contend with considerable disruption to their life. The experiences described should be considered by researchers seeking to select the most appropriate outcomes to measure in clinical trials and other research studies in people with shoulder disorders.

Perspectives of participants with rotator cuff-related pain to a neuroscience-informed pain education session: an exploratory mixed method study

Purpose: To explore perceptions and initial outcomes of patients with rotator cuff-related pain to a pain education session.Materials and Methods: Ten individuals with persistent rotator cuff-related pain (≥3 months duration) attended an individual pain education session. They completed patient-reported outcomes measures on a weekly basis, three weeks prior and three weeks following the session. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted three weeks following the pain education. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the General Inductive Approach.Results: There were two over-arching key themes: firstly, 'Participants' Perspectives' of the session generated four themes: Improved understanding of 'the whole'; Mindful self-awareness; Taking charge; "The pain is still there". Their understanding of pain was reconceptualised, evident by their ability to describe the role of neurophysiological mechanisms, stress and general well-being towards their pain. The second over-arching key theme, 'Participants' Recommendations', had two themes: Integrating neuroscience with pathoanatomical knowledge and Educating other health professionals. Pain levels decreased post-pain education compared to pre-pain education.Conclusions: Following the pain education session, participants had greater understanding of factors influencing their shoulder pain. Pain education, in addition to pathoanatomical information may be useful as part of treatment for persistent rotator cuff-related pain.

Neurectomy preserves fast fibers when combined with tenotomy of infraspinatus muscle via upregulation of myogenesis

INTRODUCTION

We evaluated the contribution of denervation-related molecular processes to rotator cuff muscle degeneration after tendon release.

METHODS

We assessed the levels of myogenic (myogenin and myogenic differentiation factor [myoD]) and proadipogenic (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ) transcription factors; the denervation-associated proteins tenascin-C, laminin-2, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII); and cellular alterations in sheep after infraspinatus tenotomy (TEN), suprascapular neurectomy (NEU), or both (TEN-NEU).

RESULTS

Extracellular ground substance increased at the expense of contractile tissue 16 weeks after surgery, correlating with CaMKII isoform levels. Sheep undergoing NEU and TEN-NEU had exaggerated infraspinatus atrophy and increased fast fibers compared with TEN sheep. The βMCaMKII isoform levels increased with TEN, and myoD levels tripled after denervation and were associated with slow fibers.

DISCUSSION

In sheep, denervation did not affect muscle-to-fat conversion after TEN of the infraspinatus. Furthermore, concurrent NEU mitigated the loss of fast fibers after TEN by inducing a fast-contractile phenotype. Muscle Nerve 59:100-107, 2019.

Establishing Minimal Important Differences for the VR-12 and SANE Scores in Patients Following Treatment of Rotator Cuff Tears

Background:

Minimal important differences (MIDs) for the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) and the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) have not been reported in patients following treatment for rotator cuff tears (RCTs).

Purpose:

To determine the MIDs for the VR-12 and SANE among patients with RCT after treatment.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Method:

A total of 222 patients diagnosed with RCT completed the VR-12 and SANE at baseline and then received surgical or nonsurgical treatment. After 64 weeks, 160 patients completed the VR-12, the SANE, and a global change questionnaire. We applied a distribution-based approach to estimate the MIDs for the SANE and for the physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of the VR-12. We then used the global rating score as an anchor for 20 patients who perceived a minimal improvement, and we applied an anchor-based approach. One-half standard deviation of the baseline score was used in the distribution-based approach. Linear regression analyses and backward model selection were conducted to evaluate the associations between patients’ characteristics and the anchor-based MIDs.

Results:

The MIDs derived from distribution-based method estimates for the VR-12 PCS, MCS, and SANE scores were 4.94, 5.99, and 11.80, respectively. The MIDs estimated using the anchor-based method for the PCS, MCS, and SANE scores were 2.57 (90% CI, –1.62 to 6.76), 1.87 (90% CI, –2.07 to 5.80), and 27.25 (90% CI, 16.17 to 38.33), respectively. The final regression model for significant predictors of the MID on the PCS included baseline PCS (P < .001), body mass index (P = .014), symptom duration (P = .011), diabetes (P = .009), and surgery (P = .089). The final model for the MID on the MCS included baseline MCS (P < .001), patient sex (P = .027), and diabetes (P = .083). The final model for the MID on SANE included baseline SANE score (P = .059) and diabetes (P = .050).

Conclusion:

This is the first study to assess the MIDs for the VR-12 and SANE scores in patients with rotator cuff disease. The estimates of MID will facilitate the interpretation and application of these outcome measures in clinical practice and research.

Sleep Quality in Patients With Rotator Cuff Disease

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the influence of rotator cuff pathology on sleep. The purpose of this study was to determine which patient-reported factors correlate with sleep disturbance in patients with rotator cuff disease.

METHODS

A nonrandomized, cross-sectional cohort study was performed to evaluate the effects of rotator cuff disease on sleep quality. Data collected at time zero (before any treatment) included the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation rating, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, patient demographics, and medical comorbidities. Statistical analysis included the Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis to determine which patient-reported factors were associated with sleep disturbance.

RESULTS

Nocturnal pain was reported by 91% of the 391 participants (274 with tendinitis and 117 with rotator cuff tears). Participants had a mean age of 57 years. Pearson correlation coefficients determined that poor sleep quality in one group or both the tendinitis and the rotator cuff tear groups was associated with higher pain visual analog scale scores (0.27 and 0.31; P = 0.004 and P < 0.0001, respectively), depression (0.27 and 0.30; P < 0.01), female sex (0.24 and 0.27; P < 0.001), presence of low back pain (0.25 and 0.27; P < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (0.24 in the rotator cuff tear group; P < 0.01), and increased body mass index (0.22 and 0.27; P = 0.02).

DISCUSSION

The status of the rotator cuff did not correlate with increasing symptoms of shoulder pain or with worse sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. These results support the theory that worsening symptoms of shoulder pain may not be clearly associated with rotator cuff disease severity.

CONCLUSION

Worse sleep quality scores in patients with rotator cuff disease are associated with pain, depression, female sex, low back pain, diabetes mellitus, and high body mass index. Overall, sleep quality did not differ among patients with varying rotator cuff disease severity. Only hypertension (in patients with rotator cuff tears) and concurrent cervical pathology (in patients with tendinitis) were uniquely related to the disease classification. Further investigation is needed to better define how these factors interact and influence nocturnal shoulder pain and sleep quality in patients with rotator cuff disease.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III prognostic cohort study.

Physiotherapists utilizing diagnostic ultrasound in shoulder clinics. How useful do patients find immediate feedback from the scan as part of the management of their problem?

AIMS

Physiotherapists are beginning to utilize diagnostic ultrasound imaging in upper limb/shoulder clinics. The aim of the present study was to receive feedback on the views of the patients concerning the usefulness of the information obtained immediately from the scan in the management of their problem.

METHODS

A questionnaire was offered to all patients attending a physiotherapist-led upper limb/shoulder clinic who underwent ultrasound imaging as part of a shoulder assessment over a 6-month period. A total of 103 patients completed a questionnaire for analysis.

RESULTS

Patients rated the ultrasound scan to be of benefit in all aspects. Regarding the ability to understand their shoulder problem better and in feeling reassured about their problem, 97% of patients either strongly agreed or agreed that this was the case. Concerning the capability of managing their problem, 89% of patients strongly agreed or agreed that they felt more able to do this. In total, 96% of patients evaluated the ultrasound scan to be of very high/high value to them.

CONCLUSION

Patients highly rate the information gained from ultrasound imaging in a physiotherapy-led upper limb/shoulder clinic and felt that it assisted them in the understanding, reassurance and management of their problem.

Dynamic thoracohumeral kinematics are dependent upon the etiology of the shoulder injury

Obtaining kinematic patterns that depend on the shoulder injury may be important when planning rehabilitation. The main goal of this study is to explore whether the kinematic patterns of continuous and repetitive shoulder elevation motions are different according to the type of shoulder injury in question, specifically tendinopathy or rotator cuff tear, and to analyze the influence of the load handled during its assessment. For this purpose, 19 individuals with tendinopathy and 9 with rotator cuff tear performed a repetitive scaption movement that was assessed with stereophotogrammetry. Furthermore, static range of motion (ROM) and isometric strength were evaluated with a goniometer and a dynamometer, respectively. Dynamic measurements of maximum elevation (Emax), variablility of the maximum angle (VMA), maximum angular velocity (Velmax), and time to maximum velocity (tmaxvel) were found to be significantly different between the tendinopathy group (TG) and the rotator cuff tear group (RTCG). No differences were found in the ROM assessed with goniometry and the isometric strength. The effect of increasing the load placed in the hand during the scaption movement led to significant differences in Emax, VMA, tmaxvel and repeatability. Therefore, only the dynamic variables showed sufficient capability of detecting differences in functional performance associated with structural shoulder injury. The differences observed in the kinematic variables between patients with tendinopathy and rotator cuff tear seem to be related to alterations in thoracohumeral rhythm and neuromuscular control. Kinematic analysis may contribute to a better understanding of the functional impact of shoulder injuries, which would help in the assessment and treatment of shoulder pain.

Rotator cuff-related pain: Patients' understanding and experiences

BACKGROUND

Persistent musculoskeletal pain is a multi-factorial entity, influenced by biological, genetic and psychosocial factors. Psychosocial factors, such as individuals' beliefs and experiences, need to be considered in the management of such pain. While extensive research has explored beliefs of individuals with spinal pain, less is known about individuals' beliefs regarding shoulder pain.

OBJECTIVES

To explore beliefs about the cause of pain in individuals with persistent rotator cuff-related pain, as well as the experiences of the effect of pain on their daily lives.

DESIGN

A mixed methods design, using semi-structured interviews and validated outcome questionnaires.

METHOD

Five men and five women, aged 47-68 years, with shoulder pain for at least three months were recruited. Individual semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the general inductive approach.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

Four key themes emerged. The cause of pain, 'Understanding the pain', was described in terms of anatomical factors within the context of the participants' lives. The pain impacted all areas of life, creating another theme, 'It affects everything'. Participants responded to their pain by adopting certain, 'Pain-associated behaviours' and sought information for diagnosis, general management and exercise prescription, 'Emotional responses and the future'.

CONCLUSIONS

The participants with rotator cuff-related pain believed the cause of their pain to be local to the shoulder region. However, they also described various stressors in their work-, sports- and family-related lives. Rehabilitation may need to include educating the individual, expanding their understanding regarding pain mechanisms and appropriate interventions, based on individual goal-setting.

Prognostic Models in Adults Undergoing Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Disorders: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff-related disorders represent the largest subgroup of shoulder complaints. Despite the availability of various conservative and surgical treatment options, the precise indications for these options remain unclear.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the available research on prognostic models for predicting outcomes in adults undergoing physical therapy for painful rotator cuff disorders.

DATA SOURCES

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, and PEDro databases and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) up to October 2015 were searched.

STUDY SELECTION

The review included primary studies exploring prognostic models in adults undergoing physical therapy, with or without other conservative measures, for painful rotator cuff disorders. Primary outcomes were pain, disability, and adverse events. Inclusion was limited to prospective investigations of prognostic factors elicited at the baseline assessment. Study selection was independently performed by 2 reviewers.

DATA EXTRACTION

A pilot-tested form was used to extract data on key aspects of study design, characteristics, analyses, and results. Risk of bias and applicability were independently assessed by 2 reviewers using the Prediction Study Risk of Bias Assessment tool (PROBAST).

DATA SYNTHESIS

Five studies were included in the review. These studies were extremely heterogeneous in many aspects of design, conduct, and analysis. The findings were analyzed narratively.

LIMITATIONS

All included studies were rated as at high risk of bias, and none of the resulting prognostic models was found to be usable in clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

There are no prognostic models ready to inform clinical practice in the context of the review question, highlighting the need for further research on prognostic models for predicting outcomes in adults who undergo physical therapy for painful rotator cuff disorders. The design and conduct of future studies should be receptive to developing methods.

Reliability and validity of the Thai version of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (Thai SPADI)

Background

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a good clinical tool to evaluate patients with shoulder pain, but has not been adapted to Thai version. The objectives of this study were to translate the English version and culturally adapt the SPADI to Thai version and to evaluate the internal consistency and construct validity of the Thai SPADI among Thai participants having shoulder pain.

Methods

Following the cross-cultural adaptation guidelines stated by the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) Outcome Committee, the SPADI was translated to Thai version (Thai SPASI). Thai participants with shoulder pain completed the three questionnaires, i.e., the Thai SPADI, bodily pain subscale of the Thai Short Form 36 second version (Thai SF-36 V2) and the Thai version of disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (Thai DASH). Internal consistency of the Thai SPADI was measured using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Convergent and divergent validity was used to measure construct validity of the Thai SPADI by assessing the correlation of the Thai SPADI with the Thai DASH and bodily pain subscale of the Thai SF-36 V2.

Results

Of 44 participants, the majority of participants were female (68.2 %) and had Bachelor’s degree or higher education level (59.1 %) with a mean age of 50.4 years (SD 14.3). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the Thai SPADI in pain subscale, disability subscale and total scale was 0.92, 0.94 and 0.95, respectively. The correlation of the Thai SPADI with the Thai DASH and bodily pain subscale of the Thai SF-36 V was 0.79 (p < 0.001) and -0.49 (p = 001), respectively.

Conclusions

The Thai SPADI has excellent internal consistency and moderate to high construct validity to assess shoulder disability among Thais.