Prevalence of hand paresthesia and numbness in painful shoulders: a narrative review

Background and Objective: While hand paresthesia and numbness are commonly associated with nerve compression, these symptoms also manifest in shoulder conditions not typically linked to direct nerve involvement, prompting questions about their underlying causes. This review aimed to explore the existing literature on hand paresthesia and numbness in patients with common shoulder pathologies. The goal was to identify gaps in our understanding of the prevalence and mechanisms behind these symptoms. Methods: To conduct this review, a search strategy was formulated to target key terms related to hand paresthesia, numbness, and various shoulder pathologies. PubMed, Scopus, Embase via OVID, and Cochrane Library were searched, resulting in an initial pool of 33 articles. After screening and removing duplicates, three relevant studies were included for analysis. Key Content and Findings: Our review analyzed three current studies that demonstrated varying rates of preoperative hand paresthesia and numbness among patients with different shoulder pathologies. Specifically, 54% of patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, 35% of patients with rotator cuff tears, and 40% of patients with either Bankart tears or superior labrum anterior and posterior (SLAP) tears reported experiencing hand paresthesia. Hand numbness was reported by 29% of patients with rotator cuff tears, 40% with Bankart tears, and 55% with superior labrum anterior and posterior tears. The prevalence of hand paresthesia and numbness was positively correlated with higher intensity of shoulder pain among all included studies. Conclusions: Hand paresthesia and numbness have been reported by patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tears, and glenohumeral labral tears. The prevalence of hand paresthesia and numbness across other shoulder pathologies and their pathophysiology remain to be investigated.