The relation of shoulder pain and range-of-motion problems to functional limitations, disability, and perceived health of men with spinal cord injury: a multifaceted longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if shoulder pain and range-of-motion (ROM) problems can be predicted by demographic, injury-related, body weight, and radiographic data over 3 years and to determine the relationships among these shoulder problems and functional limitations, disability, and perceived health.


METHODS
A longitudinal, 2-panel study in which data were collected at 2 points in time, 3 years apart.


METHODS
The community.


METHODS
Eighty-nine adult men with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in the Houston-Galveston, TX, area.


METHODS
The acromioclavicular (AC) and the glenohumeral (GH) joints were x-rayed on plain film in standard anteroposterior position. Functional limitations were determined with the FIM instrument; disability was measured with the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART).


RESULTS
Thirty percent had shoulder pain and 22% had shoulder ROM problems. Men with shoulder pain had lived longer with SCI, were more likely to report shoulder ROM problems, had lower CHART mobility scores, and were more likely to rate their health as fair than those without shoulder pain. Shoulder ROM problems were more common among men who were older, had AC joint narrowing, had lower FIM scores, and reported poorer health.


CONCLUSIONS
Shoulder pain and ROM problems were relatively prevalent. Demographic, injury-related, and radiographic variables were identified that were predictive of these problems over a period of at least 3 years. The shoulder problems were related to functional limitations, disability, and perceived health.
Ballinger
D A
DA
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Rintala
D H
DH
Hart
K A
KA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012647:Self-Assessment; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology