EVALUATION OF ROTATOR CUFF FUNCTION FOLLOWING ANTERIOR DISLOCATION OF THE SHOULDER

A study of rotator cuff function was performed on 22 patients following anterior glenohumeral dislocation. The power of anterior and posterior rotator cuff muscles was measured at 1, 3 and 6 weeks post-injury. The posterior cuff muscles were found to be significantly weaker than subscapularis. This difference was most marked in recurrent dislocators. Recent evidence suggests the rotator cuff has an important function as a dynamic stabiliser of the shoulder. It is postulated that damage to the posterior cuff accounts for the weakness observed in these patients and may contribute to recurrence of the dislocation.