[In Process Citation]
Degenerative arthrosis of the shoulder is less commonly||| diagnosed than at the joints of the lower extremity. The shoulder joint does||| not bear weight and some of the mechanical stresses are taken up by the||| subacromial space. However, anatomical studies reveal a significant incidence||| of degenerative changes at the glenohumeral joint with increasing age.||| Arthrosis is caused by mechanical loading, rotator cuff defects, and abnormal||| joint motion following surgery. Clinical symptoms are rarely focused on the||| glenohumeral joint. Clinical findings are also unspecific. Rotation of the||| elevated arm with compression of the joint is a reliable sign of arthrosis. The||| diagnosis is made with anteroposterior and axial radiographs. Ultrasonography||| should always be performed and computed tomography only in specific cases.||| Nonoperative treatment includes analgesic and antiphlogistic medication, motion||| therapy, and muscle exercises. Shoulder arthroplasty is favoured in advanced||| arthrosis. New prostheses are intended to reconstruct the normal anatomy as||| closely as possible.
Wulker
N
Orthopadische Klinik der Medizinischen Hochschule,|| Heimchenstrasse 1-7, 30625 Hannover. wuelker@annastift.de