Shoulder magnetic resonance imaging findings in manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury

This study looked at the shoulders of people with spinal cord injuries who use manual wheelchairs to see how common rotator cuff and biceps problems are. The researchers found that most participants had some level of tendon damage (tendinopathy) and many had partial tears in their rotator cuff tendons. Those with tears were generally older and had used a wheelchair for a longer time. The study suggests that regular check-ups for shoulder problems in this group should focus on age and years of wheelchair use, rather than just relying on what the patient reports about pain.

• 1
  The prevalence of any tendinopathy across the rotator cuff and the long head of biceps tendon was 98%.
• 2
  The prevalence of any tears was 68%.
• 3
  Participants without tendon tears were significantly younger (P < 0.001) and had been wheelchair user for a significantly shorter time (P = 0.005) than those with tendon tears.