Evaluation of Pain and Ultrasonography on Shoulder in Poliomyelitis Wheelchair Basketball Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine shoulder pain and shoulder ultrasonographic findings in poliomyelitis Wheelchair Basketball (WB) players. Three physicians performed physical examinations and interviewed WB players about their shoulder pain by using Wheelchair User’s Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI), Performance-Corrected WUSPI (PC-WUSPI), and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). One physician performed shoulder ultrasonography on WB players. All confirmed their International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) classifications through Korean Wheelchair Basketball Federation (KWBF). Seventeen men and 6 women players were enrolled in the study, with 46 shoulders evaluated. Nine players had unilateral lower extremity weakness and 14 players were bilateral weakness. Six players used wheelchair for daily living, and 17 players used wheelchair only when playing WB. They were 44.35±5.42 years old on average. They had played WB for 11.09±9.49 years and trained 8.69±3.83 hours a week. PC-WUSPI was significantly correlated with age (p=0.014). There were no significant differences between time spent playing WB, training time for WB, types of poliomyelitis involvement, their use of wheelchair, and WUSPI, PC-WUSPI and SPADI. Tendon tear prevalence was significantly different with training time for WB (p=0.021). Most common abnormal shoulder ultrasonographic findings were subscapularis and supraspinatus tendinopathy. Tendinopathy and tendon tear prevalence did not differ significantly with age, time spent playing WB, types of poliomyelitis, and the use of wheelchair. High prevalence of shoulder pain and rotator cuff pathology were found by physical and ultrasonographic examination in the poliomyelitis wheelchair basketball players. Rotator cuff injury prevention program are needed for prevent shoulder pain and rotator cuff pathology.