SHOULDER JOINT MOVEMENT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO DISABILITY IN THE ELDERLY

One hundred healthy subjects over the age of 65 years were interviewed and examined. The range of movement of their shoulder joints was reco rded. Assessment of the prevalence of symptomatic shoulder joint disor ders and their nature was also made. The impact of the presence and se venty of such disorders on their functional independence was evaluated by means of the Katz Scale of Index of Independence in the Activities of Daily Living. Ranges of all movements were considerably reduced in this age group compared to figures for a younger population. The prev alence of symptomatic shoulder disorders was 34% of which a rotator cu ff lesion was the most common. Disability related to these disorders w as found in 30% of the study population and was significantly associat ed with reduced movement. It is suggested that treatment of these diso rders might improve quality of life and that routine examination of th e shoulder in the aging population would identify those at risk of los ing their independence.