Two MRI findings -- joint capsule edema and thickness at the axillary recess, specifically -- proved useful in predicting stiff shoulder in patients with small to large (< 5 cm) full-thickness rotator cuff tears, according to new research. This study is important because it is the first to highlight joint capsule abnormality on MRI as a factor associated with stiff shoulder in patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears.
As this case of a 59-year-old patient with right shoulder weakness and pain illustrates, partial repair with tuberoplasty can restore function while relieving pain in patients younger than age 60, buying time until they are at a better age for reverse shoulder arthroplasty to manage a massive rotator cuff tear.
A recently published study outlines an alternative multimodal pain management pathway that eliminates the need for opioids in patients undergoing elective reverse and anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty.
Shoulder exercises can be useful in the treatment of many of the common causes of shoulder pain. These exercises are also part of the usual rehabilitation from most any shoulder surgery. Shoulder exercises should be performed under the direction of a physician to ensure the proper muscles are being targeted for your condition.
Shoulder impingement, which people sometimes call swimmer's shoulder, is a condition that causes pain in the shoulder due to a tendon or bursa rubbing against the shoulder blade.
