P. Hyvonen et al., Early recovery of isometric shoulder muscle strength after open acromioplasty in stage II impingement syndrome, ARCH ORTHOP, 120(5-6), 2000, pp. 290-293
The recovery of shoulder muscle strength after open acromioplasty was evalu
ated in 48 patients (27 male, 21 female, mean age 44.3 years) who had under
gone open acromioplasty because of stage II impingement syndrome. The isome
tric strengths of flexion, abduction and external rotation were measured be
fore the operation and at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The mean preo
perative flexion strength of the involved shoulder was 72.6% of that of the
uninvolved shoulder, and this increased to 77.1% by 3 months post operatio
n, to 88.3% at 6 and to 88.3% at 12 months. Corresponding abduction strengt
hs were 68.4%, 80.4%, 88.7% and 91.0% and the external rotation strengths w
ere 75.1%, 77.4%, 95.1% and 93.5%, respectively. These recoveries were mark
edly improved when the cases with poor subjective results at 1 year were no
t considered. The low preoperative strengths were more pronounced in women
than in men, but recovery was better in women. It is concluded that shoulde
r muscle strengths recover to near normal in 1 year after open acromioplast
y.