The Second Japanese-Scandinavian Shoulder Congress

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with subacromial pain due to im- pingement of mild and moderate degree are often referred to a physiotherapist for conservative treatment. It has been pointed out by some authors that many of these patients have a slouched posture with protracted shoulders and that a change to a balanced and well coordinated posture including a slight retraction of the shoulders may give the patients amelioration of their symptoms. The aim of this study was to clarify if, and to what extent, the shape of the subacromial space is altered on change from retraction to protraction. Materials and methods: Four healthy students had their left shoulder examined in retraction and protraction in the sagittal and coronal planes by MRI technique. Results: There was a significant decrease of the opening width and the opening angle of the subacromial space on change from retraction to protraction. Conclusion: The result of this study might be regarded as an anatomical correlate to the clinical suggestion that a slouched posture may be one factor that predisposes to the development of an impingement syndrome, and that the kinesiologic dimension retraction/protraction is worthwhile to consider in these patients. Prosthetic reconstruction of neglected large isolated tears of the subscapularis tendon