Assessment of shoulder function using the coronal plane angle.
BACKGROUND
Assessment of shoulder function is an essential part of clinical practice. Current scoring relies on multiple subjective and / or objective components. We present a single angular measurement, the coronal plane angle, which relates to the functional assessment of the shoulder.


METHODS
One hundred patients were prospectively enrolled and assessed using the Constant-Murley score and the Oxford shoulder questionnaire, and the coronal plane angle was measured for both symptomatic and asymptomatic shoulder.


RESULTS
NINE PATIENTS WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY: Four had apprehension and five were not able to get their hand to head. The mean coronal plane angle on the symptomatic side was +11.3 degrees and the asymptomatic side -1.5 degrees (P </= 0.01). Pearson's correlation of 0.9 and 0.84 was demonstrated for the Constant-Murley and Oxford shoulder scores, respectively, with the coronal plane angle.


CONCLUSIONS
The coronal plane angle is a single objective assessment and provides a simple alternative to shoulder assessment for the majority of patients.
Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, Sunderland Royal Hospital, SR4 7TP.
N D
ND
Clement
M
M
Fuller
R C
RC
Colling
A N
AN
Stirrat