Shoulder activity level in the preoperative assessment of patients with rotator cuff tears

Normative Values of Isometric Shoulder Strength Among Healthy Adults

Background

Normative data is useful for comparing measured values of strength with population norms and can avoid the issues associated with limb symmetry index. The available normative shoulder strength values are limited by constraints on research designs and variability in subject groups which prevents this data being successfully extrapolated to the greater population.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to establish normative isometric strength values for various movements of the shoulder that are specific to function and rotator cuff strength. A secondary goal of this study was to analyze the effect of age, gender, weight, height, activity level and arm dominance on shoulder strength.

Design

Observational cohort study.

Methods

Subjects in four age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59) were included in this study-200 males (40.0 ± 11.6 years, 179.1 ± 6.5 cm, 81 ± 13.0 kg) and 200 females (40.1 ± 11.5 years, 165.3 ± 7.4sm, 64.4 ± 11.6 kg). Bilateral isometric strength measurements were taken with a handheld dynamometer testing seven shoulder movements. Tables of normative strength data were constructed. Multivariate analyses were performed to analyze the effects of age, gender, weight, height and activity level on isometric shoulder strength.

Results

Men were stronger than women (p<0.001). Age was not associated with most strength measures with the exception of dominant arm abduction (p<0.004), non-dominant arm abduction (p<0.028) and non-dominant arm scapular plane abduction (p<0.004) which had a negative association with strength. Weight was positively associated with strength (p<0.001). Activity level was positively associated with all strength measures (p<0.05) except dominant sided abduction (p=0.056). There were no statistically significant differences between dominant and non-dominant sides.

Conclusion

This normative data may be useful to the clinician, as it permits a standard against which to compare shoulder strength for various age groups. Clinicians can have confidence that the uninvolved limb, if symptom free, can be used as an adequate benchmark for strength measures.

Levels of Evidence

Level 3©The Author(s).

Patient-Determined Outcomes After Arthroscopic Margin Convergence Rotator Cuff Repair

Purpose

To determine whether patients who require margin convergence would have equivalent postsurgical patient-determined scores compared with patients with standard rotator cuff repair. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine whether the short-term results found for patients with margin convergence repairs would be durable through medium-term follow-up.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was performed to examine the effects of marginal convergence on patient-determined outcomes (Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Simple Shoulder Test, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and Shoulder Activity Level). Patient-determined outcomes in patients who had margin convergence repairs were compared with patients who had standard rotator cuff repair. Prospective follow-up of patients that had margin convergence repairs was performed to determine whether patient-determined outcomes deteriorated over time.

Results

Two-hundred-seventy-two patients had standard rotator cuff repairs and 9 patients had margin convergence rotator cuff repair (3.2%). All patients had significant improvements in their Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Simple Shoulder Test, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation. Patients requiring margin convergence rotator cuff repair had similar preoperative and postoperative scores compared with patients with a standard rotator cuff repair. At a mean follow-up of 7.5 years, there was no change in outcome scores compared with the early follow-up time point (mean 3.3 years) for patients undergoing margin convergence.

Conclusions

Arthroscopic margin convergence repair techniques along with the treatment of concomitant pathologies result in similar patient-determined outcomes compared with standard rotator cuff repair techniques. These results appear to be durable and do not deteriorate from short-term to medium-term follow-up.

Level of evidence

III: Retrospective comparative study.

Does arthroscopic rotator cuff repair improve patients' activity levels?

BACKGROUND

Rotator cuff repair decreases pain, improves range of motion, and increases strength. Whether these improvements translate to an improvement in a patient's activity level postoperatively remains unknown. The Shoulder Activity Level is a valid and reliable outcomes survey that can be used to measure a patient's shoulder-specific activity level. Currently, there are no studies that examine the effect of rotator cuff repair on shoulder activity level.

METHODS

Preoperative patient-determined outcomes scores collected prospectively on patients undergoing rotator cuff repair were compared with postoperative scores at a minimum of 2 years. These scores included the Shoulder Activity Level, Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and simple shoulder test. Inclusion criteria were patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

RESULTS

Included were 281 shoulders from 273 patients with a mean follow-up of 3.7 years. The postoperative median Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (42 vs. 94), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (41 vs. 95), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (30 vs. 95), and simple shoulder test (4 vs. 11) scores were statistically significantly improved compared with preoperative scores (P < .0001). The postoperative median Shoulder Activity Level score decreased compared with the preoperative score (12 vs. 11; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients reported a statistically significant deterioration of their Shoulder Activity Level score after rotator cuff repair compared with their preoperative scores, although disease-specific and joint-specific quality of life scores all had statistically significantly improvement. This study suggests that patients generally have (1) significant improvements in their quality of life and (2) small deteriorations in activity level after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.

Does total shoulder arthroplasty improve patients' activity levels?

BACKGROUND

Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) decreases pain, improves range of motion, and increases strength. Whether these improvements translate to improvements in activity levels postoperatively remains unknown. The Shoulder Activity Level (SAL) is a valid and reliable outcomes survey that measures the patient's activity level. Currently, no studies have specifically examined the effect of TSA on SAL.

METHODS

A prospective collection of preoperative, patient-determined outcomes on patients undergoing TSA was compared with postoperative scores at a minimum of 2 years. These scores included the SAL, Western Ontario Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder Index (WOOS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Standardized Shoulder Assessment, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and the Simple Shoulder Test (SST). Inclusion criteria were patients undergoing primary anatomic TSA or reverse TSA.

RESULTS

A mean follow-up of 3.7 years was available for 80 anatomic and 42 reverse TSAs. Anatomic TSAs had improvements from median preoperative scores to median postoperative scores for WOOS (34 to 89; P < .0001), ASES (30 to 87; P < .0001), SST (2 to 9; P < .0001), and SANE scores (23 to 90; P < .0001). The SAL improved from 7 to 8 but did not quite reach statistical significance (P = .07). Reverse TSAs had improvements from median preoperative scores to median postoperative scores for WOOS (31 to 83; P < .0001), ASES (29 to 82; P < .0001), SST (2 to 7; P < .0001), and SANE scores (20 to 85; P < .0001). The SAL improved from 4.5 to 6, but this did not reach statistical significance (P = .38). However, when anatomic and reverse TSAs were analyzed together, a statistically significant improvement was found postoperatively in the SAL (from 6 to 8; P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

Anatomic TSA and reverse TSA improved activity levels. In addition, disease-specific and joint-specific quality of life scores all had statistically significant improvements. This study suggests that after shoulder arthroplasty patients in general have (1) significant improvements in their quality of life and (2) have small improvements in activity level. This study shows that most patients do not have to decrease their activity levels to diminish symptoms to an acceptable range.

Shoulder activity level in patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic adhesive capsulitis is a common condition resulting in painful multidirectional restriction of motion. Adhesive capsulitis may inhibit shoulder activity level, but this relationship has not been previously studied. This study tested the hypothesis that patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis have lower shoulder activity than sex- and age-matched controls.

METHODS

Seventy-two eligible patients (37 men and 35 women) with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis completed a validated shoulder activity scale that was compared with sex- and age-matched norms from a healthy population with no history of shoulder disorders. The association of shoulder activity level with patient age, sex, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores was evaluated.

RESULTS

Overall, 58% of patients actually had higher shoulder activity scores than sex- and age-matched controls. Among patients aged 51 to 70 years, 68% of patients (73% of men and 63% of women) demonstrated higher Shoulder Activity Scale scores compared with controls. The activity level was higher among all patients aged 51 to 70 years compared with controls (10.3 ± 1.48 vs. 8 ± 0.52, P = .0067). The difference was significant for men in this age group (12.2 ± 1.7 vs. 9 ± 0.75, P = .0042). There was a statistically significant positive correlation of the Shoulder Activity Scale score with the SST score (r = 0.31, P = .009).

CONCLUSION

Patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis do not have a lower shoulder activity level than sex- and age-matched controls, and older men may actually have a higher level of shoulder activity than controls. Shoulder activity level is correlated with the SST score in patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis.

Shoulder activity level and progression of degenerative cuff disease

BACKGROUND

This study prospectively examined the relationship of direct and indirect measures of shoulder activity with the risks of tear progression and pain development in subjects with an asymptomatic degenerative rotator cuff tear.

METHODS

A cohort of asymptomatic degenerative rotator cuff tears was prospectively monitored annually, documenting tear size progression with ultrasound imaging and potential shoulder pain development. Shoulder activity level, self-reported occupational and physical demand level, and hand dominance were compared with risks of tear enlargement and future pain development.

RESULTS

The study monitored 346 individuals with a mean age of 62.1 years for a median duration of 4.1 years (interquartile range [IQR], 2.4-7.9 years). Tear enlargement was seen in 177 shoulders (51.2%), and pain developed in 161 shoulders (46.5%) over time. Tear presence in the dominant shoulder was associated with a greater risk of tear enlargement (hazard ratio, 1.40; P = .03) and pain development (hazard ratio, 1.63; P = .002). Shoulder activity level (P = .37) and occupational demand level (P = .62) were not predictive of tear enlargement. Occupational demand categories of manual labor (P = .047) and "in between" (P = .045) had greater risks of pain development than sedentary demands. The median shoulder activity score for shoulders that became painful was lower than for shoulders that remained asymptomatic (10.0 [IQR, 7.0-13.0] vs. 11.0 [IQR, 8.0-14.0], P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Tear enlargement and pain development in asymptomatic tears are more common with involvement of the dominant shoulder. Shoulder activity level is not related to tear progression risks. Pain development is associated with a lower shoulder activity level even though patients with higher occupational demands are more likely to develop pain.

Patients Undergoing Shoulder Stabilization Surgery Have Elevated Shoulder Activity Compared With Sex- and Age-Matched Healthy Controls

BACKGROUND

Shoulder activity level may be a risk factor for shoulder instability, an indication for surgical intervention, and a risk factor for failure of operative stabilization.

HYPOTHESIS

Patients undergoing shoulder stabilization surgery have a higher activity level compared with sex- and age-matched healthy controls.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 2.

METHODS

Patients undergoing shoulder stabilization surgery aged 18 to 50 years were prospectively enrolled. As part of data collection, patients completed a previously validated shoulder activity scale, which generates a score reporting frequency of activity ranging from 0 (least active) to 20 (most active). The activity level of these patients was compared with sex- and age-matched norms for a healthy population with no history of shoulder disorders.

RESULTS

A total of 409 subjects (343 male, 66 female) undergoing shoulder instability surgery completed the activity scale. Seventy-seven percent of patients had higher shoulder activity level than sex- and age-matched controls. Seventy-nine percent aged 18 to 30 years had a higher shoulder activity level than controls, with an identical distribution for men (79%) and women (79%). Among patients aged 31 to 50 years, 70% had higher activity than controls. However, men were more likely to have a higher activity level than controls (72%) versus women (59%). In patients aged 18 to 30 years, median activity level for instability patients was 14 in men compared with 10 in controls, and 13 in women compared with 8 in controls. In patients aged 31 to 50 years, median activity level was 13 in men compared with 10 in controls and 10 in women compared with 8 in controls.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing shoulder stabilization surgery have a higher activity level than sex- and age-matched healthy controls.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Shoulder activity is especially elevated in younger, male instability patients.

Shoulder Activity Level is Associated With Type of Employment and Income in the Normative Population Without Shoulder Disorders

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic variables influence various healthcare issues in different ways. The effect of socioeconomic variables on the shoulder has not been well studied. Because activity level, defined by how much a patient actually does, is an important patient outcome measure and prognostic factor for the shoulder, studying its association with occupation and income will advance our understanding of how these variables relate to shoulder disorders, treatments, and outcomes.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSE

We asked: (1) Does shoulder activity score correlate with income level, stratified by gender? (2) Do different employment groups-heavy, moderate, light, student, retired-have different shoulder activity scores, as stratified by gender? (3) Is type of sports participation (contact or overhead) associated with income level, employment type, race, or household size?

METHODS

A survey collected the Brophy and Marx shoulder activity score and demographic information, such as age, gender, race, income, type of employment, and household size from 1625 individuals 18 years and older with no current or previous shoulder pain or injury who are members of a research panel matched to the United States population by age, gender, household income and size, race/ethnicity, and geography. Men and women were analyzed separately. Activity level was controlled for age.

RESULTS

Shoulder activity correlated with income level among men (R = 0.03; p < 0.001) and women (R = 0.06; p = 0.0002). For men, heavy employment had the highest Shoulder Activity Scale (SAS) level (12.1 ± 4.9), which was more than SAS levels in sedentary (9.1 ± 4.5; mean difference, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.5-3.6; p = 0.001), student (8.8 ± 5.1; mean difference, 3.3; 95% CI, 3.0-3.7; p = 0.007), retired (8.0 ± 4.6; mean difference, 4.1; 95% CI, 3.6-4.7; p = 0.0001), and not working (7.5 ± 5.3; mean difference, 4.6; 95% CI, 4.6-4.6; p < 0.001) categories; similarly, for women, heavy employment had the highest SAS level (12.0 ± 5.8). However, as there were few women working in heavy labor, the only significant difference in women was between moderate employment (8.8 ± 4.2) and sedentary employment (7.0 ± 4.1; mean difference, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.6-1.9; p = 0.0015). Participation in contact (19.9% vs 12.0%; p = 0.006) and overhead sports (25.2% vs 14.2%; p < 0.001) was greater among males with higher incomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Shoulder activity level is related to the socioeconomic factors of income and type of employment. Heavy laborers have higher shoulder activity level, likely directly related to their work. Individuals with higher incomes also have higher shoulder activity level, probably attributable to recreation as evidenced by their greater participation in contact and overhead sports. Independent of the underlying cause, these patients probably are more likely to seek treatment for shoulder disorders and may be more challenging to treat because of their elevated activity level. Future research should focus on how elevated activity level in these populations affects their risk for shoulder disorders, and their use of and outcomes from treatment for these disorders.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, prognostic study.

Does physiotherapy diagnosis of shoulder pathology compare to arthroscopic findings?

AIMS

To explore the ability of a physiotherapist, using a standardised musculoskeletal physiotherapy assessment protocol, to accurately identify the structures potentially responsible for shoulder symptoms against a standardised arthroscopic shoulder diagnostic assessment, and to determine the physiotherapists' ability to influence post-test diagnostic accuracy.

STUDY DESIGN

Consecutive case-based cohort study.

SUBJECT SELECTION

All participants were selected by two orthopaedic surgeons for arthroscopic investigation during a 6-month period.

SETTING

Private orthopaedic clinic.

METHOD

All consenting participants selected for arthroscopic investigation were examined by the physiotherapist prior to arthroscopy. Presence and priority of impairments/diagnoses were recorded on a standardised form. Inter and intra-rater reliability and diagnostic accuracy were tabulated.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Proportional agreement on diagnostic incidence (broad) and priority (strict) using 2×2 contingency tables for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated. Post-test probabilities were analysed to determine the influence of a positive or a negative finding.

RESULTS

211 participants, aged 14-79 years were included. Overall prevalence of subacromial pathology was (77%) and, disorders of the passive restraints (29%). For both negative and positive findings, post-test probabilities were not notably altered; although positive findings yielded greater value in the decision-making modelling. The physiotherapist's ability to identify individual pathology (eg, tendon rupture vs tendinopathy, capsular vs labral) was lower than recognition of pathology within the broader diagnostic category.

CONCLUSIONS

The physiotherapist's ability to diagnose individual pathologies was inconsistent. Indirectly, this raises the issue of whether signs and symptoms identified under arthroscopic surgery are reflective of a lesion/pathology reflective of a specific tissue.

Is the Marx Activity Scale Reliable in Patients Younger Than 18 Years?

Background:

There is no baseline activity scale yet validated in pediatric patients. The Marx and Tegner scales have been validated in adult patients only. The Tegner scale involves questions not pertinent to children, such as their work activity. The Marx scale is simple, and all its questions can be related to athletic activities.

Hypothesis:

The Marx scale is reliable for use in a pediatric population.

Study Design:

Cohort study.

Level of Evidence:

Level 2.

Methods:

Patients younger than 18 years were given the Marx activity scale in clinic and again 3 weeks later. The patients were divided into 3 groups, of at least 50 patients each, based on presenting diagnosis: knee injury, lower extremity (non-knee) injury, and upper extremity injury. Test-retest reliability was determined for the overall scores and the individual questions. Differences in scores were also compared based on age (<14 vs ≥14 years).

Results:

A total of 162 patients (mean age, 14.4 years; range, 8-17 years) were included. The Marx scale had a high intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) overall as well as for each of its 4 questions. Both older and younger patients had ICCs >0.80, though the older group generally had higher scores. The mean score was 13.55 (out of 16), and 50.6% scored the maximum; only 1.9% scored the minimum. Mean scores for the knee, lower extremity, and upper extremity groups were 13.71 (SD, 3.70), 13.22 (SD, 4.18), and 13.68 (SD, 3.33), respectively (P > 0.05). There also was no difference in total score based on age (P = 0.88).

Conclusion:

The Marx activity scale is reliable in patients younger than 18 years with injuries to the knee and lower extremities, though the scale was less reliable in patients younger than 14 years. There is a significant ceiling effect present, which limits its overall usefulness.

Clinical Relevance:

Although there is no other current substitute, the Marx activity scale is not an ideal measurement of younger patients’ baseline activity levels.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Persian version of Shoulder Activity Scale in a group of patients with shoulder disorders

PURPOSE

The aim of this methodological study was to cross-culturally translate the Shoulder Activity Scale (SAS) into the Persian and determine its clinimetric properties including reliability, validity, and responsiveness in patients with shoulder disorders.

METHOD

Persian version of the SAS was obtained after standard forward-backward translation. Three questionnaires were completed by the respondents: SAS, shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI), and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The patients completed the SAS, 1 week after the first visit to evaluate the test-retest reliability. Construct validity was evaluated by examining the associations between the scores on the SAS and the scores obtained from the SPADI, SF-36, and age of the patients. To assess responsiveness, data were collected in the first visit and then again after 4 weeks physiotherapy intervention. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. To evaluate construct validity, Spearman's rank correlation was used. The ability of the SAS to detect changes was evaluated by the receiver-operating characteristics method.

RESULTS

No problem or language difficulties were reported during translation process. Test-retest reliability of the SAS was excellent with an ICC of 0.98. Also, the marginal Cronbach's alpha level of 0.64 was obtained. The correlation between the SAS and the SPADI was low, proving divergent validity, whereas the correlations between the SAS and the SF-36/age were moderate proving convergent validity. A marginally acceptable responsiveness was achieved for the Persian SAS.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provides some evidences to support the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity, and responsiveness of the Persian version of the SAS in patients with shoulder disorders. Therefore, it seems that this instrument is a useful measure of shoulder activity level in research setting and clinical practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

The shoulder activity scale (SAS) is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure of shoulder activity level in Persian-speaking patients with different shoulder disorders. The results on clinimetric properties of the Persian SAS are comparable with its original, English version. Persian version of the SAS can be used in "clinical" and "research" settings of patients with shoulder disorders.

The role of activity level in orthopaedics: an important prognostic and outcome variable

A patient's activity level is increasingly recognized as an important factor that can influence orthopaedic outcomes. Validated, reliable activity measurement tools now exist for the shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle. These tools can be directly applied as outcome measures that determine whether interventions restored function. It is now evident that activity level is a powerful prognostic factor for outcomes in orthopaedic procedures such as anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, articular cartilage repair, and total joint arthroplasty. Yet despite the recent increase in studies that have made use of quantitative, joint-specific activity scales, much room remains for further understanding of the exact role of activity level in the progression, treatment, and patient perception of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly in the shoulder and ankle, as well as in pediatric patients.

Shoulder activity level is not associated with the severity of symptomatic, atraumatic rotator cuff tears in patients electing nonoperative treatment

BACKGROUND

Patient activity level may be an important prognostic variable relating to outcomes in patients with shoulder disorders. Little is known about the predictors of activity level in patients with shoulder disorders.

HYPOTHESIS

Tear size and patient variables would be predictive of shoulder activity level in a cohort of patients who have selected initial nonoperative treatment for a symptomatic, atraumatic rotator cuff tear on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Patients with an atraumatic rotator cuff tear on MRI were prospectively enrolled in the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) shoulder study of nonoperative treatment. As part of routine data collection, these patients were asked to complete a previously validated shoulder activity scale. A regression analysis was performed to assess the association of shoulder activity level to rotator cuff tear characteristics, including tendon involvement and retraction, and patient factors such as age, sex, smoking, and occupation.

RESULTS

A total of 434 patients (220 male, 214 female) with a mean age of 62.7 years (range, 31-90 years) completed the activity scale. Shoulder activity was not associated with severity of the rotator cuff tear, but it was negatively associated with age (P = .0001) and female sex (P = .001). The only other factor associated with shoulder activity level in this cohort was occupation (P = .0006).

CONCLUSION

Shoulder activity level in patients with an atraumatic rotator cuff tear confirmed on MRI is not associated with severity of the tear but is affected by age, sex, and occupation.