Clinical Characteristics of 100 Patients With Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders and Shoulder Complaints With or Without Mechanical Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Study

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Sep;103(9):1749-1757.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.12.021. Epub 2022 Jan 21.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and shoulder complaints with or without mechanical symptoms, and to compare characteristics between these groups.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Primary care.

Participants: One-hundred patients with HSD and shoulder complaints for at least 3 months were included from primary care (N=100).

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome measures: Medical history, self-reported (shoulder pain and function, discomfort due to other symptoms, fatigue, fear of movement, quality of life) and objective (strength, range of motion, proprioception) characteristics were collected by physiotherapists. Mechanical symptoms (yes/no) were defined as self-reported shoulder instability, subluxation, and/or laxity.

Results: Sixty-seven reported mechanical symptoms. Patients in both groups reported impairments related to shoulder pain, function, fatigue, fear of movement, and quality of life. Patients with mechanical symptoms were younger (mean, 35.1 years [95% CI, 32.3-37.9 years] vs 43.3 years [95% CI, 38.4-48.1 years]), had longer symptom duration (median, 46 months [95% CI, 36-66 months] vs 24 months [95% CI, 9-56 months]), reported a previous shoulder dislocation (25% [95% CI, 16-37] vs 3% [95% CI, 0-16]), experienced that their shoulder was loose (64% [95% CI, 52-76] vs 15% [95% CI, 5-32]), and reported discomfort due to other symptoms (odds ratio, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.17-1.87]). Furthermore, a larger proportion had received supplemental treatment (analgesic medication, steroid injection/surgery).

Conclusions: Both groups with HSD and shoulder complaints presented with substantial shoulder-related impairments. Two-thirds reported mechanical symptoms, were younger, and more severely impaired than those without mechanical symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of managing mechanical shoulder symptoms to fully address the patients' impairments.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03869307.

Keywords: Joint instability; Rehabilitation; Shoulder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fatigue / epidemiology
  • Fatigue / etiology
  • Humans
  • Joint Instability*
  • Quality of Life
  • Shoulder
  • Shoulder Joint*
  • Shoulder Pain / etiology

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03869307