(Press-News.org) DETROIT - Shoulder motion after rotator cuff surgery remains significantly different when compared to the patient's opposite shoulder, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.
In a study that updated prior findings, researchers used X-rays providing a 3D view of motion of the arm bone in relation to the shoulder blade, to compared motion in the shoulders of 22 patients who had arthroscopic surgical repair of tendon tears and no symptoms in their other shoulders. An earlier study looked at 14 patients.
Researchers analyzed the motion of both shoulders at three, 12 and 24 months after surgery, looking at changes in shoulder motion and shoulder strength.
"Although patient satisfaction is generally very high after surgical repair of a torn rotator cuff, the data suggest that long-term shoulder function - in particular, shoulder strength and dynamic joint stability - may not be fully restored in every patient," says Michael Bey, Ph.D., director of Herrick Davis Motion Analysis Lab at Henry Ford Hospital.
Dr. Bey presents the results Sunday at the Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in Long Beach, Calif.
"We found that the motion pattern of the repaired shoulder is significantly different than the patient's opposite shoulder," Dr. Bey says. "These differences in shoulder motion seem to persist over time in some patients."
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, rotator cuff tears are a common cause of pain and disability among adults, especially among those over age 40. The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles and several tendons that create a covering around the top of the upper arm bone. The rotator cuff holds the bone in and enables the arm to rotate.
The rotator cuff can be torn from a single injury but most tears result from overuse of the muscles and tendons over years. Those at especially high risk are those who engage in repetitive overhead motions. Common treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, physical therapy and surgery.
Dr. Bey says the findings suggest that restoring normal joint mechanics may not be necessary to achieve a satisfactory clinical outcome.
"Our study suggests that surgery doesn't necessarily restore normal shoulder strength or normal shoulder motion," he says. "However, patient satisfaction is very high after surgery due in part because it relieves pain and discomfort."
The study was done using a high-speed biplane X-ray system, one of only three in the country, which allows researchers to measure the position of bones and joints in the body during motion to within half a millimeter.
"The biplane X-ray system allows us to investigate subtle nuances of shoulder function that cannot be detected with conventional laboratory techniques," Dr. Bey says.
"What further complicates our understanding of rotator cuff tears is that we have also shown that there are subtle, yet important differences in shoulder function between the dominant and non-dominant shoulder of healthy volunteers. These clinical studies are aiding in our understanding of both the origin and treatment of rotator cuff tears."
INFORMATION:
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Henry Ford Hospital.
January 16, 2011 – (BRONX, NY) – In a technique that could eventually shed light on how gene expression influences human disease, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have for the first time ever successfully visualized single molecules of naturally-occurring messenger RNA (mRNA) transcribed in living mammalian cells. The scientific achievement is detailed in the January 16 online edition of Nature Methods.
Gene expression involves transcribing a gene's DNA into molecules of mRNA. These molecules then migrate from a cell's nucleus into ...
VIDEO:
Stanford researchers have developed a new technique that allows them to monitor the tiny branches of neurons in a live brain for months at a time. Neuroscientists will now be...
Click here for more information.
Travel just one millimeter inside the brain and you'll be stepping into the dark.
Standard light microscopes don't allow researchers to look into the interior of the living brain, where memories are formed and diseases such as dementia and cancer can take ...
Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a "master switch" in certain white blood cells, determining whether they promote or inhibit inflammation. The study, published in the journal Nature Immunology, could help researchers look for new treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis that involve excessive inflammation.
Inflammatory responses are an important defence that the body uses against harmful stimuli such as infections or tissue damage, but in many conditions, excessive inflammation can itself harm the body. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints ...
A pill containing a mix of essential oils has been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Health tested the tablets by carrying out a randomised, controlled trial in 120 women.
Edilberto Rocha Filho worked with a team of researchers from the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil, to conduct the tests. He said, "The administration of 1 or 2 grams of essential fatty acids to patients with PMS resulted in a significant decrease in symptom scores. Furthermore, the ...
Does eating a big breakfast help weight loss or is it better to skip breakfast altogether? Available information is confusing but new research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition Journal clears a path through these apparently contradictory reports.
Dr Volker Schusdziarra, from the Else-Kröner-Fresenius Center of Nutritional Medicine, conducted a study on over 300 people who were asked to keep a journal of what they usually ate. Within the group sometimes people ate a big breakfast, sometimes small, and sometimes skipped it all together.
Schusdziarra ...
Researchers are using inexpensive components from ordinary liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors to control the brain and muscles of tiny organisms, including freely moving worms. Red, green and blue lights from a projector activate light-sensitive microbial proteins that are genetically engineered into the worms, allowing the researchers to switch neurons on and off like light bulbs and turn muscles on and off like engines.
Use of the LCD technology to control small animals advances the field of optogenetics -- a mix of optical and genetic techniques that has given ...
HOUSTON – A small slice of RNA inhibits prostate cancer metastasis by suppressing a surface protein commonly found on prostate cancer stem cells. A research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported today in an advance online publication at Nature Medicine.
"Our findings are the first to profile a microRNA expression pattern in prostate cancer stem cells and also establish a strong rationale for developing the microRNA miR-34a as a new treatment option for prostate cancer," said senior author Dean Tang, Ph.D., professor in MD ...
"This ebook is for Parents and Educators looking to improve their knowledge of cyber bullying," said Nicole Williams, author of the ebook. It provides valuable information on how cyber bullying can be dealt with and avoided.
Facebook, twitter, and the likes, are changing lifestyles. They have become the community centers for our children. They are the gathering places where 'tween-teens' go to interact and share experiences. This is unlikely to change and in fact will become more prevalent. Learn what you and your children need to be careful of online.
Main points ...
GoGogirlfriend.com is a newly launched website in 2010 for women seeking to try products before they buy. Members receive beautiful gift boxes packed with health, beauty and home products to experience and give product survey reviews as well as visiting websites with special offers from advertisers.
GoGogirlfriend.com has been a huge success with women wanting great deals on cosmetics, skincare, bath, home, and health and wellness products. The sample box is free and membership fee covers shipping and handling, as well as 5% of the fee being donated to the research ...
Cornelius Nursery hosts a Make-It and Take-It Container Garden Workshop on Saturday, Feb. 12 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the 2233 S. Voss Road location. The workshop is free and includes hands-on instruction by nursery manager Eddie Russell.
"Bring your own container with a drainage hole or we will have an assortment of containers to purchase," he said. "We'll supply the work space, tools, complimentary Calloway's Premium Potting Soil and even an application of Calloway's Premium Plant Food."
Container samples will be available for participants to use for inspiration ...
