The Shoulder Exam

Jeffrey Rosenberg MD

Residency Program in Family Medicine

Montefiore Hospital

June 2, 2005

Objectives

Learn the anatomy of the Shoulder joint so as to better understand shoulder pathology

Review the proper primary care based shoulder examination

Discuss shoulder pathology in relation to age of patient and mechanism of injury

Case #1

20 yo male who plays weekend softball p/w pain over the anterior lateral aspect of the rt. shoulder and lateral upper arm. No specific injury noted. C/o pain when combing hair and at nighttime. Exam sig. for nl anatomy, painful arc from 70-130 deg., nl rotator cuff strength. What could his diagnosis be?

Case #2

45 yo female p/w gradual onset of pain on top of left shoulder. Pt does remember a sign. fall several years ago onto the left arm and shoulder. C/o pain at night, and with raising arm above head. Exam shows mostly normal AROM and PROM. Tenderness over AC joint with mild protuberance. What could be the cause of this pain

Shoulder Bones

Glenoid Cavity

Acute Pain (<2 weeks)

Fracture if sig fall (esp in >50) Shoulder Instability:

Subluxation/Dislocation-fall with arm outstreched overhead

Acute rotator cuff tear-fall with arm abductedNeed quick diagnosis/treatment

AC joint separation (if falls onto side of shoulder)

Pathology for subacute/chronic often based on age of patient

Middle Aged (30-50): Impingement Syndrome, Partial rotator cuff tears Frozen shoulder

Older patient (>50): Complete RTC tear Degenerative Arthiritis-lots of stiffness Frozen shoulder-lots of stiffness Fracture after fall

Shoulder Exam

Start with anatomy. Symmetry of the shoulder, protuberance over AC joint, atrophy of muscles

Tenderness: Biceps Tendon, Lat and Post shoulder, AC joint, SC joint, Clavicle, Scapular Spine

Range of Motion

Measure ROM and feel for crepitus Flexion: move arm forward from body anteriorly

0-165 Extension: move arm backwards from body

posteriorly 0-60 Abduction: Abduct arm away from body. 0-170.

Note painful arc: 70-120 acromial imping. vs. 130-160 AC jt imping or arthritis

Range of Motion

EXTERNAL ROTATION: (nl 90 degrees) Lack of External Rotation with elbow/shoulder

in neutral equal Frozen Shoulder/GH arthritis External Rotation Strength from infraspinatus

REMEMBER for Abduction: Initial 20 degrees of motion from deltoid and ss 20-130 from supraspinatus 130-150 from rotation of scapula

Range of Motion

If motion limited, move passively Drop test: Passively Abduct; let go of arm ?

maintain abduction. If not: RTC likely completely torn!! Injection w/ lidocaine and repeat to make sure

Hold scapula and passively abd arm-Decreased movement equals joint restriction from frozen shoulder or GH arthritis.

Range of Motion

Cross Body Adduction: adduct arm across body. 0-50: Painful with AC joint pathology.

Internal Rotation: can be done in abduction or extension: measure by vertebrae of t-spine.

Rotator Cuff

Rotator Cuff Strength

Supraspinatus: Empty can test Infraspinatus and Teres

Minor: Hitch hiker test (ext rotation with elbow next to body)

Subscapularis: with arm internal rotation and extension, have patient move hand away from body

Impingement Syndrome

Impingement of RTC or bursa Inflammation/Swelling increase the size in a

tight space OR space gets smaller secondary to bony growth. Can progress to RTC tear.

Swelling ->Tendonitis and Fibrosis->Degeneration (Tendinosis) and Tears

Often Coexist/continuum

Subacromial Bursa

Impingement and the ACROMION

Impingement Syndrome

Symptoms: gradual onset, anterior-lateral pain, worse overhead, night time pain

Tender over ant or lateral shoulder. Crepitus and Pain with active abduction 60-120 degrees (painful arc). Normal Strength Neer and Hawkins Impingment tests painful.

If positive, could inject with lido,steroids and repeat. If sx resolve, impingement evident

Impingement Signs

Neer impingement sign. Forcibly flex arm fully above head to produce pain as humerus compressed Rotator cuff against coracoacromial arch

Impingement Signs

Hawkins sign: Abduct arm 90 deg., flex, and forcibly internally rotate arm. Pain sign for subacromial impingement or rotator cuff tendonitis.

Gleno-humeral Instability

Inability to keep humeral joint centered in glenoid socket: Sense of Slippage.

TUBS: Traumatic subluxation/dislocation Unilateral, involve tear of glenoid labrum-Bankart Lesion, needs Surgery

AMBRI: Atraumatic dislocation, Multidirectional, Bilateral, Rehab.

Gleno-humeral Instability

Sling 6 weeks (external rotation best): Recurrent Dislocation dependant on age/sport

Need lots of PT-if no help-surgery If occurs > 2 times, reoccurs almost 100%-

needs surgery especially if young/active Subtle instability -> secondary impingement in

overuse situation (swimming, pitching, tennis, etc). Fatigue causing migration of head

Gleno-humeral instability

Apprehension Test: Abduct shoulder to 90 deg. SLOWLY externally rotate while pushing head of humerus forward with thumb of other hand. Apprehension on the part of the patient is evidence of chronic anterior instability.

Gleno-humeral Instability

Sulcus Sign: Pull arm inferiorly and watch for deepening of the acromio-humeral sulcus; sign of inferior instability

Don’t Forget about the Neck

Investigation of shoulder complaints is not complete without investigation of the cervical spine:

Palpate cervical spine

Check DTR’s, sensation and strength

Spurlinigs Sign

Radiography

Acutely: Episode of Dislocation S/p trauma with AC joint/Clavicle Pain After fall in older patient (>60) with decreased

ROM

Radiography

Chronically: Frozen Shoulder >50 (to see in GH OA) Acromion View : increases likelihood of

significant. RTC Pathology

Radiography

MRI: Useful for evaluating for Rotator Cuff Tears (partial/complete)-I order them if patient not better with steroid injection/still have weakness

If looking for labral tear-Need intra-articular Gadolinium