Week Seven: The Painful Shoulder in Musculoskeletal Conditions (copy)

Weak and Painful Shoulder

Commonly associated with rotator cuff issues such as tendinopathy and tears.

Stiff and Painful Shoulder

Conditions may include osteoarthritis and fractures.

Unstable and Painful Shoulder

Typically characterized by dislocation or instability.

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

A load-related shoulder issue characterized by pain-inhibited weakness rather than true muscle failure.

Painful Arc

A hallmark symptom occurring when the arm is elevated or abducted in mid-range.

Badge Pain

Pain referred to the lateral shoulder area, akin to the position of a police badge.

Extrinsic Mechanisms

Factors external to the tendon such as anatomical considerations and biomechanics of the shoulder.

Intrinsic Mechanisms

Tendon-related internal factors like structural integrity and metabolic characteristics.

Reactive Tendinopathy

Early stages of tendon injury with reversible changes characterized by thickening and sensitivity.

Disrepair

Chronic issues that become increasingly difficult to reverse without appropriate load management.

Job’s Empty Can Test

A functional test used to evaluate rotator cuff conditions.

Hawkins Test

A functional test that helps reproduce familiar symptoms related to shoulder pain.

Subacromial Decompression

A surgical procedure shown to offer no significant benefits compared to placebo or exercise therapy.

Isometric Strategies

Short term pain relief derived from low-load exercises, effectiveness is not definitive.

Pseudoparalysis

Movement restriction that may occur following large rotator cuff tears.

Category 1 Rotator Cuff Tear

Chronic full-thickness tears that require conservative management due to poor healing potential.

Category 2 Rotator Cuff Tear

Smaller acute tears that warrant early surgical intervention.

Category 3 Rotator Cuff Tear

Tendinopathic presentations with partial tears, advocating for conservative treatment.

Post-Surgical Recovery for Rotator Cuff Repair

Requires slow re-introduction of load and strict limits during initial recovery phases to prevent re-tear.