Modified 3D scapular kinematic patterns for activities of daily living in painful shoulders with restricted mobility: a comparison with contralateral unaffected shoulders.

There is a lack of studies of 3D scapular kinematic patterns for patients with shoulder conditions comparing affected and contralateral nonaffected shoulders during self-care activities of daily living (ADL). In this study, we compared 48 patients - 11 with glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA), 20 with frozen shoulder (FS) and 17 with rotator cuff tendinopathies (RCT) - as they performed two ADL: hair combing and back washing. 3D scapular rotations and humerothoracic elevation (HTE) of the affected and contralateral nonaffected shoulders were recorded with use of a 6 degrees-of-freedom electromagnetic device. The HTE of affected and nonaffected shoulders were compared for each pathology group at rest and at the HTE used to perform the ADL: 30°, 45° and 60° of HTE for hair combing, and 30° of HT elevation for back washing. For hair combing, mean peak HTE was significantly lower for affected than nonaffected shoulders. Mean scapular lateral rotation was significantly greater at each HTE degree for GHOA and RCT groups, and mean scapular posterior tilt was significantly lower at 30° of HTE for the FS group. For back washing, mean peak HTE was lower for affected than nonaffected shoulders for the FS group only. Mean scapular medial rotation was significantly lower at 30° of HTE for the RCT group. 3D scapular kinematics appear to be specific to the shoulder pathology and to the task studied. Specific scapular kinematic patterns must be considered for appropriate therapeutic management.