Cervical and Thoracic Spine Mobility in Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain: A Comparative Analysis with Asymptomatic...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy
• Pain Management

Background:

• Rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP) presents diagnostic challenges.
• Cervical and thoracic spine involvement is often implicated in RCRSP.
• Limited research exists on the specific biomechanical contributions of the spine to RCRSP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in cervical and thoracic spine mobility between RCRSP patients and asymptomatic controls.
• To determine the relationship between spinal mobility, neck disability, and psychosocial factors in RCRSP.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 32 RCRSP patients and 32 asymptomatic controls (AC).
• Measurements included cervical and thoracic range of motion (ROM) and Neck Disability Index (NDI).
• Independent t-tests and multiple linear regression were used for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• RCRSP group exhibited significantly reduced cervical rotation and flexo-extension ROM compared to AC.
• Thoracic spine mobility (flexion, extension, rotation) was significantly impaired in the RCRSP group.
• RCRSP patients reported a significantly higher NDI score, with central sensitization and SF-12 scores predicting neck disability.

Conclusions:

• Reduced cervical and thoracic spine mobility are significant findings in RCRSP.
• Clinicians should incorporate assessment of spinal mobility in the evaluation of RCRSP.
• Neck disability in RCRSP is influenced by spinal biomechanics and psychosocial factors.