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Superior Glenohumeral Translation in Patients With Degenerative Rotator Cuff Tears

Completed
Conditions
Rotator Cuff Tear or Rupture, Not Specified as Traumatic
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Glenohumeral translation assessment
Registration Number
NCT03717571
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Brief Summary

Degenerative partial and complete rupture of the rotator cuff is a common injury among elder patients. However, the clinical manifestation varies largely with some patients having severe pain and limiting range of motion and others having no complaints. The basic functions of the rotator cuff are to facilitate shoulder motion and stabilization and centering of the glenohumeral joint. The objective of this study is to quantify the difference in superior glenohumeral translation in patients with degenerative rotator cuff tear compared to healthy control subjects and to determine the effect of isolated complete supraspinatus tear and combined complete supraspinatus and either partial infraspinatus or partial subscapularis tear.

Detailed Description

The study will examine a cohort of 10 patients with isolated complete supraspinatus muscle tear and 10 patients with complete supraspinatus muscle tear and either partial infraspinatus muscle tear or partial subscapularis muscle tear, and a cohort of 10 age-matched healthy control persons. The participants will be recruited from the Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University Hospital Basel. Inclusion criteria: 45 years \< age \< 65 years; degenerative complete supraspinatus muscle tear or complete supraspinatus muscle tear and either partial infraspinatus muscle tear or partial subscapularis muscle tear; unilateral rotator cuff tear. Exclusion criteria: traumatic tendon ruptures; prior treatment of the ipsilateral upper extremity; clinical history of the contralateral glenohumeral joint; no complete supraspinatus muscle tear; tears in more than two rotator cuff muscles; neuromuscular disorders affecting upper limb movement; additional pathologies that influence the mobility of the shoulder joint; inability to provide informed consent.

Patients will complete the health questionnaire and reflective markers and electromyographic sensors will be placed on anatomical landmarks and shoulder muscles, respectively, before loaded and unloaded abduction and flexion arm movements will be performed. Centre of rotation of both shoulders will be calculated to determine glenohumeral translation. This parameter will be compared between patient groups and control subjects using linear mixed models with group membership and load as fixed factor and subject as random factor. The critical shoulder angle will be included as covariate into the model to detect a potential modulating role of this factor on glenohumeral translation.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
21
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control groupGlenohumeral translation assessmentage and sex matched healthy control persons
combined tearGlenohumeral translation assessmentpatients with complete supraspinatus muscle tear and either partial infraspinatus muscle tear or partial subscapularis muscle tear
isolated tearGlenohumeral translation assessmentpatients with isolated complete supraspinatus muscle tear
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Glenohumeral translationBaseline

Amount of glenohumeral translation under load

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Disabilities of arm, shoulder and Hand (DASH)Baseline

assessed using the Quick DASH (0 - no problems, 100 - extreme problems)

Glenohumeral translation from fluoroscopyBaseline

the perpendicular distance of the centre of the glenohumeral joint and the x-axis of the scapula coordinate system will be measured. Glenohumeral translation will be defined as the difference in this distance between the abducted arm positions and the resting arm position

Shoulder functionBaseline

assessed using the Constant Shoulder Score (0 - no problems, \>30 extreme problems)

Shoulder painBaseline

assessed using a 15 cm visual analogue scale converted to 0 to 100 scale (0 - no pain; 100 - worst pain imaginable)

Muscle activityBaseline

root mean square of the electromyography (EMG) signal during the arm movements calculated and normalised to the maximal obtained signal intensity

Critical shoulder angle (CSA)Baseline

measured on frontal plane radiographs in neutral arm position available from the clinical consultation. The CSA is the angle between the line connecting the superior with the inferior border of the glenoid fossa and the line connecting the inferior border of the glenoid fossa with the most inferolateral point of the acromion

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Hospital Basel

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Basel, Basel Stadt, Switzerland

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