Masafumi Sakai1, Takahiro Mutsuzaki2, Yukiyo Shimizu1, Yoshikazu Okamoto3, Katsuhiko Yatabe4, Ichio Muraki4, Kotaro Nakajima4. 1. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8576, Japan. 2. Department of Orthopedics, Ibaraki Prefectural University, 4669-2 Oaza, Inashiki, Ibaraki, 300-0300, Japan. 3. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8576, Japan. yokamoto@md.tsukuba.ac.jp. 4. Department of Radiology, Ibaraki Prefectural University, 4669-2 Oaza, Inashiki, Ibaraki, 300-0300, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Wheelchair users frequently utilize their upper extremities for moving around in their daily life. Therefore, it is likely they may develop conditions of overuse in their joints, which could affect their activity and daily life. The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual conditions of the joints of wheelchair users using MRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five wheelchair users and twenty able-bodied control volunteers participated in this study. We scanned MRI images of their right and left shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Two radiologists interpreted the images and made diagnoses for each of the joints. The number of diseases for each joint was compared between wheelchair users and able-bodied volunteers. RESULTS: The number of supraspinatus tendon tears was higher in wheelchair users than controls in the right (Rt.) (P < 0.05), left (Lt.) (P < 0.05), and bilateral (Bil.) (P < 0.05) shoulders. The number of elbow LP lesions (Rt. (P < 0.01), Lt. (P < 0.01), and Bil. (P < 0.05)) and the number of elbow lateral epicondylitis cases (Rt. [P < 0.05] and Lt. [P < 0.05]) were also higher in wheelchair users than that of control volunteers. Additionally, the number of wrist TFCC injuries in wheelchair users (Rt. [P < 0.01], Lt. [P < 0.01], and Bil. [P < 0.01]) was more than that of control volunteers. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there are several types of overuse injury in each joint. However, we hypothesize that these are not induced by driving wheelchairs, but instead by the "push up" movement characteristic for wheelchair users, according to the situations caused by each injury.
OBJECTIVE: Wheelchair users frequently utilize their upper extremities for moving around in their daily life. Therefore, it is likely they may develop conditions of overuse in their joints, which could affect their activity and daily life. The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual conditions of the joints of wheelchair users using MRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five wheelchair users and twenty able-bodied control volunteers participated in this study. We scanned MRI images of their right and left shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Two radiologists interpreted the images and made diagnoses for each of the joints. The number of diseases for each joint was compared between wheelchair users and able-bodied volunteers. RESULTS: The number of supraspinatus tendon tears was higher in wheelchair users than controls in the right (Rt.) (P < 0.05), left (Lt.) (P < 0.05), and bilateral (Bil.) (P < 0.05) shoulders. The number of elbow LP lesions (Rt. (P < 0.01), Lt. (P < 0.01), and Bil. (P < 0.05)) and the number of elbow lateral epicondylitis cases (Rt. [P < 0.05] and Lt. [P < 0.05]) were also higher in wheelchair users than that of control volunteers. Additionally, the number of wrist TFCC injuries in wheelchair users (Rt. [P < 0.01], Lt. [P < 0.01], and Bil. [P < 0.01]) was more than that of control volunteers. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there are several types of overuse injury in each joint. However, we hypothesize that these are not induced by driving wheelchairs, but instead by the "push up" movement characteristic for wheelchair users, according to the situations caused by each injury.
Entities:
Keywords:
Extremity; MRI; Overuse; Wheelchair user