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Pathologic deltoid activation in rotator cuff tear patients: normalization after cuff repair?
P B de Witte1, P van der Zwaal, E R A van Arkel
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Postzone J11R, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands, P.B.de_Witte@lumc.nl.
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing
|July 9, 2013
Summary
Rotator cuff repair surgery may restore deltoid muscle function. Pre-operative tears showed compensatory deltoid activation, which decreased after surgery, suggesting potential functional recovery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Rotator cuff tears are common and often treated surgically.
- Deltoid muscle activation serves as a functional proxy for rotator cuff integrity.
- Assessing deltoid activation can evaluate the success of rotator cuff repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate rotator cuff repair success by measuring deltoid activation.
- To compare deltoid activation in patients with rotator cuff tears versus controls.
- To assess changes in deltoid activation one year after rotator cuff repair.
Main Methods:
- Electromyography (EMG) measured deltoid activation during isometric arm abduction.
- 22 controls and 33 patients (pre- and post-surgery) participated.
- A ratio (R) quantified deltoid activation response to varying abduction moment loads.
Main Results:
- Controls showed increased deltoid activation with higher loads (R=0.11).
- Pre-operative patients exhibited greater compensatory activation (R=0.20).
- Post-operative activation decreased (R=0.16), indicating partial functional restoration.
Conclusions:
- Rotator cuff tears lead to compensatory deltoid activation.
- Surgery may partially restore rotator cuff function, reducing compensatory deltoid use.
- Deltoid activation assessment is a viable method for evaluating rotator cuff repair outcomes.
