Rotator cuff tears are often suspected to contribute hemiplegic shoulder pain. However, it is controversial whether their incidence increases in hemiplegia. Based on the postulate that muscle weakness in hemiplegia predisposes rotator cuff injury due to biomechanical failure, this study aims to investigate whether the rotator cuff tears are associated with the muscle strength of the shoulder by observing hemiplegic shoulders of varying degree of paresis.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of rotator cuff tears in the shoulders of hemiplegic patients of different severity.