Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Measuring 3D In-vivo Shoulder Kinematics using Biplanar Videoradiography
Published on: March 12, 2021
Does the acromiohumeral distance matter in chronic rotator cuff related shoulder pain?
Santiago Navarro-Ledesma1, Filip Struyf2, Maria Teresa Labajos-Manzanares3
1Department of Physiotherapy, University of Malaga, Spain; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Background/Hypothesis:
The relation between acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and severity of pain, disability and range of movement (ROM) in patients with chronic rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP) has not been reported.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to investigate the level of association between AHD measured by ultrasonography and pain-disability and shoulder range of movement (ROM), in patients suffering from chronic RCRSP. As a secondary objective, the determination of the intrarater reliability of AHD at both 0 and 60 degrees of shoulder elevation was carried out.
Design:
This was a cross-sectional study.
Method:
A sample comprised of 97 patients with chronic RCSRP symptoms was recruited from three different primary care centres. Acromio-humeral distance (AHD) measured by ultrasonography at 0 and 60 degrees of shoulder elevation, shoulder pain-function (SPADI) and range of movement (ROM) were taken.
Results:
There was no correlation between AHD at 0° (-0,215), and at 60° (-0,148), with SPADI. No correlations were found with AHD and shoulder ROM at both 0 and 60°. Intrarater reliability was excellent for AHD at 0 and 60°.
Conclusions:
There was a small association between AHD and shoulder pain and function, as well as with shoulder ROM, in patients with chronic RCRSP. Hence, clinicians should consider other possibilities rather than focusing their therapies only in increasing AHD when patients with chronic RCRSP are treated.
Related Concept Videos
Muscles that Move the Arm
The pectoralis major has two origins. Its clavicular head originates on the medial half of the clavicle. In contrast, the sternocostal head originates on the costal cartilages of ribs 1-6, the sternum, and the aponeurosis of the external oblique of the...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Humerus
Muscles of the Shoulder
Anterior Thoracic Muscles
The anterior thoracic muscles include the serratus anterior, subclavius, and...
Relative Motion Analysis using Rotating Axes-Problem Solving
Here, in order to determine the magnitude of velocity and acceleration for point...

