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HomeClinical manifestations of cuff diseaseStiffnessStiffness as limitationWeaknessInstabilityRoughness

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Rotator Cuff Clinical Presentation.

Last updated Wednesday, January 26, 2005

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Figure 1
Figure 1

Figure 2
Figure 2

Figure 3
Figure 3

Figure 4
Figure 4

Figure 5
Figure 5

Stiffness

Stiffness limits passive range of motion and frequently causes pain at the end point of motion as well as difficulty sleeping.

Stiffness as limitation

Stiffness is most common in partial thickness cuff lesions, but may also be associated with full thickness cuff defects. (Jackson, 1976) Stiffness may be demonstrable as limitations of:

  1. internal rotation with the arm in abduction (degrees from the neutral position) (see figure 1),
  2. reach up the back (posterior segment reached with the thumb) (see figure 2),
  3. cross-body adduction (centimeters from the ipsilateral antecubital fossa to the contralateral acromion or coracoid) (see figure 3),
  4. flexion (degrees from the neutral position) (see figure 4), or
  5. external rotation (degrees from the neutral position) (see figure 5).

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