Abstract
Purpose.
To examine the hemiplegic shoulders for softβtissue injury by musculoskeletal sonography and to determine the relationship between the motor functions of the upper extremity and these injuries, which play an important role in hemiplegic shoulder pain and may impede rehabilitation.
Methods.
The following characteristics of 34 acute stroke patients were recorded: age, gender, height, body weight, side of hemiplegia, type and duration of stroke, Brunnstrom stage, subluxation, and degree of spasticity of the upper extremity. On the basis of the Brunnstrom stage, the patients were divided into 2 groups. Patients with stages I, II, or III were categorized under the lower Brunnstrom stage (LBS) group (n = 21), and those with stages IV, V, or VI were allocated to the higher Brunnstrom stage (HBS) group (n = 13). Both shoulders of each patient were examined by musculoskeletal sonography with a 5β10βMHz linear transducer on 2 separate occasions (i.e., at admission and 2 weeks after rehabilitation).
Results.
With the exception of age, there were no significant differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients in the 2 groups. Shoulder musculoskeletal sonography revealed softβtissue injury in 7 patients (33%) and 15 patients (71%) in the LBS group at admission and 2 weeks after rehabilitation, respectively (p < 0.05), and in 4 patients (31%) in the HBS group both at admission and 2 weeks after rehabilitation.
Conclusions.
Acute stroke patients with poor upper limb motor functions are more prone to softβtissue injury of the shoulder during rehabilitation. Β© 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2009.