Association of Sonographic Findings with Shoulder Pain Among Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Shoulder pain   following spinal cord injury (SCI) is the most prevalent type of pain and   throughout the course of the   disease, it can affect up to 50% of those   with SCI. Early detection of any structural anomalies or injuries to the shoulders is quintessential in preventing chronic shoulder pain. The   lack of available data and initial findings of previous studies then encouraged the   implementation of a wider-scale study of patients with   newly diagnosed spinal cord injury, and its association with   shoulder pain.

METHODS

This was a   prospective-cohort study of patients following newly acquired SCI admitted   from June 2023 to September 2023. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA)   Classification, Spinal Cord Injury Independence Measure (SCIM), and physical activity level prior to SCI   were obtained. Primary outcomes of interest include ultrasound findings and   shoulder pain.

RESULTS

Among the included participants in the study, 8 (53.3%)   had ultrasound abnormality while 7 (46.7%) had normal ultrasound. Of the 8 participants with ultrasound abnormality,   3 (37.5%) had it both sides (left and right), 4 (50%) had left only ultrasound abnormality, and 1 (12.5%)   had right only ultrasound abnormality. The most common abnormalities were Biceps Tendon Intra sheat effusion   and Lesser and Greater tuberosity cortical irregularities.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal shoulder ultrasound findings were prevalent in individuals with newly diagnosed SCI. The most common   sonographic abnormalities in patients with   newly diagnosed SCI were biceps tendon intra sheat effusion, lesser tuberosity cortical   irregularities, greater tuberosity cortical   irregularities. This study concluded   that there is an association of shoulder ultrasound to the development of shoulder pain among newly diagnosed spinal cord   injury patients.