Ultrasonographic findings in shoulders of able-bodied, paraplegic and tetraplegic subjects

Study design: Cross-sectional. Objectives: To evaluate the association between spinal cord injury (SCI) and ultrasonographic findings in shoulders. Setting: Randomly selected patients of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre and able-bodied citizens of Helsinki, Finland. Methods: Ultrasonography of the shoulder was performed on able-bodied, tetraplegic and paraplegic subjects. Subjects with SCI were selected from patients of Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, who were injured more than 3 months before the examination. Results: Findings of the glenohumeral joint differed most clearly between the groups. Significant association between SCI level and oedema of the glenohumeral joint was noted in multiple regression analysis, where other background factors were also considered. Conclusion: Paraplegic and tetraplegic subjects are prone to glenohumeral changes that can be verified with ultrasonography.