Sonography of hemiplegic stroke survivors with shoulder pain / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine the utility of musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging to support physical findings in different stages of recovery and in recommending treatment regimens.Methods Forty-three hemiplegic stroke survivors with shoulder pain were enrolled.Physical examinations were performed 3 and 6 months after the stroke using a visual analogue scale (VAS),a modified Ashworth scale,measurements of passive range of motion and Brunnstrom staging.This was coupled with sonography of the long head of the biceps,the subscapularis tendon,the supraspinatus tendon,the infraspinatus tendon,the acromioclavicular joint and the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa.Results Three months after the stroke the average VAS score correlated negatively with the average Brunnstrom stage of the shoulders (r=-0.39,P≤0.01),with the range of passive abduction (r=-0.56,P≤ 0.01),the range of passive external rotation (r=-0.36,P≤ 0.02),and the range of passive flexion (r=-0.37,P≤ 0.02).It was positively correlated with abnormal sonographic findings of the long head tendon of the biceps (r=0.32,P≤ 0.04),the subscapularis tendons (r=0.31,P≤0.04) and the supraspinatus tendons (r=0.53,P≤0.01).However,3 months later the VAS results were negatively correlated with Brunnstrom stage (r=-0.45,P ≤ 0.01),range of passive shoulder abduction (r=-0.60,P≤0.01),range of passive external rotation (r=-0.41,P≤0.01),and passive range of flexion (r=-0.52,P≤ 0.01),but positively correlated with spasticity (r=0.34,P≤ 0.03),biceps tendinopathy (r=0.45,P≤0.01),subscapularis tendinopathy (r=0.33,P≤ 0.03) and supraspinatus tendinopathy (r=0.56,P≤ 0.01).Rotator cuff injury was significantly more severe 6 months after stroke than at 3 months.The incidence of pain in the hemiplegic shoulder and abnormal sonographic findings of the biceps tendon and subscapularis tendon were significantly higher at 6 months than at 3 months after the stroke.Supraspinatus tendon problems were notable both at 3 and 6 months.Conclusions Pain in a hemiplegic shoulder is positively correlated with abnormal sonographic findings but negatively correlated with Brunnstrom stages and passive range of motion 3 and 6 months after stroke.Six months after stroke,pain is positively correlated with muscle tone.The tendon at the long head of the biceps and the rotator cuff are vulnerable to injury,especially at 6 months after stroke.