A 28 year old man presents to ED having injured his right shoulder playing basketball. You position the patient as shown in the image below. He is unable to maintain this position with his right arm as you push downwards on both arms. Which of the following muscles is most likely to be injured:
The supraspinatus is part of the rotator cuff group of muscles.
Muscle | Supraspinatus |
---|---|
Function | Initiation of abduction of shoulder to 15 degrees (and then assistance of deltoid with continued abduction) |
Innervation | Suprascapular nerve |
Examination | Empty Can Test: Position the patient with arms elevated to 90 degrees in the scapular plane, with the elbow extended, and full medial rotation and pronation of the forearm with thumbs pointing downwards. Ask the patient to resist the downward force being applied to the forearm. Test is positive is patient has pain or weakness. |
The supraspinatus acts to initiate abduction of the arm to 15 degrees and then assists the deltoid with continued abduction to 90 degrees.
The supraspinatus is innervated by the suprascapular nerve.
The supraspinatus muscle can be assessed using the 'empty can' test. The 'empty can' test can be performed by positioning the patient with the arm in 90 degrees of forward flexion, in the plane of the scapula (approximately 30 degrees of abduction) and in full internal rotation with the thumb pointing down (as if emptying a can). The patient is asked to forward flex their arm against resistance, and the test is considered positive if there is significant pain and/or weakness.
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Biochemistry | Normal Value |
---|---|
Sodium | 135 – 145 mmol/l |
Potassium | 3.0 – 4.5 mmol/l |
Urea | 2.5 – 7.5 mmol/l |
Glucose | 3.5 – 5.0 mmol/l |
Creatinine | 35 – 135 μmol/l |
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) | 5 – 35 U/l |
Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) | < 65 U/l |
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) | 30 – 135 U/l |
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) | < 40 U/l |
Total Protein | 60 – 80 g/l |
Albumin | 35 – 50 g/l |
Globulin | 2.4 – 3.5 g/dl |
Amylase | < 70 U/l |
Total Bilirubin | 3 – 17 μmol/l |
Calcium | 2.1 – 2.5 mmol/l |
Chloride | 95 – 105 mmol/l |
Phosphate | 0.8 – 1.4 mmol/l |
Haematology | Normal Value |
---|---|
Haemoglobin | 11.5 – 16.6 g/dl |
White Blood Cells | 4.0 – 11.0 x 109/l |
Platelets | 150 – 450 x 109/l |
MCV | 80 – 96 fl |
MCHC | 32 – 36 g/dl |
Neutrophils | 2.0 – 7.5 x 109/l |
Lymphocytes | 1.5 – 4.0 x 109/l |
Monocytes | 0.3 – 1.0 x 109/l |
Eosinophils | 0.1 – 0.5 x 109/l |
Basophils | < 0.2 x 109/l |
Reticulocytes | < 2% |
Haematocrit | 0.35 – 0.49 |
Red Cell Distribution Width | 11 – 15% |
Blood Gases | Normal Value |
---|---|
pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
pO2 | 11 – 14 kPa |
pCO2 | 4.5 – 6.0 kPa |
Base Excess | -2 – +2 mmol/l |
Bicarbonate | 24 – 30 mmol/l |
Lactate | < 2 mmol/l |
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