Correlation of psychomotor findings and the outcome of a physical therapy program to treat scapular dyskinesis

Werner, Clément M.L.; Ruckstuhl, Thomas; Zingg, Patrick; Lindenmeyer, Beata; Klammer, Georg; Gerber, Christian

doi:10.1016/j.jse.2010.04.042

« Previous Next »Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
Volume 20, Issue 1 , Pages 69-72, January 2011

Correlation of psychomotor findings and the outcome of a physical therapy program to treat scapular dyskinesis

Clément M.L. Werner, MD
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
- Reprint requests: Clément M.L. Werner, MD, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Forchstrasse 340, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
Thomas Ruckstuhl, MD
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
Patrick Zingg, MD
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
Beata Lindenmeyer, PT
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
Georg Klammer, MD
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland
Christian Gerber, MD
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zurich, Uniklinik Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland

published online 05 August 2010.

Background

This pilot study was performed to investigate the influence of psychomotor skills on the outcome of a specific nonoperative program (scapular dyskinesis-program) to treat scapular dyskinesis.

Materials and methods

Fifteen patients (group A) with positive and 11 patients (group B) with a negative outcome after physical therapy were included. To test the psychomotor skills of the patients the Motorische Leistungsserie (MLS) was used. The test results of the patients of group A were then compared with those of group B.

Results

For 2 parameters, a significant correlation could be detected. However, due to the small sample size, a clear but statistically insignificant difference could be found for several other factors.

Conclusion

We, therefore, hypothesize that psychomotor skills testing is a potential method to predict the outcome of nonoperative treatment for scapular dyskinesis. Further investigations with a larger sample size are necessary to confirm this assumption.

Level of evidence: Level III, Retrospective Case Control Study, Treatment Study

Keywords: Scapular dyskinesis, instability, shoulder, psychomotor skills, Motorische Leistungsserie, physical therapy