Upper limb active joint repositioning during a multijoint task in participants with and without rotator cuff tendinopathy and effect of a rehabilitation program

Study design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal (exploratory) studies.

Introduction: Rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy is the most prevalent shoulder diagnosis, and proprioception deficits are often observed in individuals with RC tendinopathy.

Purpose of the study: This study aimed to evaluate upper limb proprioception during a multijoint task in participants with and without RC tendinopathy and to determine if symptoms, functional limitations, and proprioception are improved after a rehabilitation program.

Methods: Twenty participants with and 20 without RC tendinopathy were recruited for the cross-sectional study, and 23 participants with RC tendinopathy were recruited for the longitudinal study. Proprioception was evaluated by an active joint-repositioning task: The upper limb was passively moved to a predetermined position, and the participant was asked to actively replicate the movement. The difference between the predetermined position and the replicated position was measured. The mean errors in positions of lateral, medial, and neutral rotation of the shoulder and the global mean error were reported. In addition to the active-repositioning assessment in the longitudinal study, symptoms and functional limitations were evaluated by the Disability of the Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire.

Results: Significant deficits in active repositioning (p < .01), independent of the position, were observed in participants with RC tendinopathy compared with controls. The DASH score was improved after rehabilitation intervention (p < .001), and patients with active-repositioning deficits at baseline had reduced repositioning error (p < .05).

Conclusions: Upper limb active joint repositioning was impaired in participants with RC tendinopathy. Symptoms and functional limitations and active joint repositioning in participants with RC tendinopathy and initial deficits were improved after a 6-week global rehabilitation program.