Subacromial Impingement: Is there Correlation between Symptoms, Arthroscopic Findings and Outcomes?

Abstract

Background To determine whether a correlation exists between the clinical symptoms and signs of impingement, and the severity of the lesions seen at bursoscopy. Methods Fifty-five patients who underwent arthroscopic subacromial decompression were analyzed. Pre-operatively patients completed an assessment form consisting of visual analogue pain score, and shoulder satisfaction. The degree of clinical impingement was also recorded. At arthroscopy impingement was classified according to the Copeland-Levy classification. Post-operatively the shoulder assessment was repeated. Statistical analysis was carried to determine if the degree of impingement at arthroscopy correlated with pre-operative pain, satisfaction and clinical signs of impingement. Results Pre-operative pain level, shoulder satisfaction and degree of clinical impingement did not correlate significantly with severity of the lesions of the acromion and cuff. (average correlation coefficient r2 0.018.) There was no correlation between the improvement in the shoulders post-operatively and the severity of lesions (r2 0.008). Conclusion There was no correlation between pain, clinical signs or outcomes of subacromial decompression and the severity of impingement lesions seen at arthroscopy.