[Rotator syndrome of the shoulder and mobility of the cervical spine]

"Painful shoulder" results from different pathogenetic disorders. There is a coincidence of cervical spine and shoulder syndromes. However, a deficit exists of reproducible proof correlation. In this study the motility of cervical spine in patients with painful shoulder syndromes is biometrically measured and compared with control persons. 41 patients and 94 healthy persons had been investigated. Radiograms of the cervical spine had been taken in spontaneous position, in maximal flexion and extension positions. The radiograms had been digitalized according to the technique of Arlen. In addition, vertebral gliding had been analyzed. There was no difference in spontaneous posture of the cervical spine. In patients the total motility was reduced. Regarding the single segments there was less motility in C4/5, C5/6, and C6/7. The physiologic vertebral gliding was diminished in C2/3 and C5/6. The correlation between reduced motility of cervical spine and shoulder pain can be explained by the following ways: 1. Interactions by posture 2. Disorders of muscular balance by nerve root lesions 3. Disturbance of muscle coordination by reflectoric afferences from cervical or shoulder regions. These results demonstrate the complexity of apparently local disorders of the shoulder.