Article

This case study was to analyse the load on the shoulder muscles
during reaching movements that are specific to wheelchair users in relation to
the risk of impingement. METHOD: Three activities of daily living were performed:
putting a book on a shelf in front and at the side and putting a pack of water
bottles on a table. The AnyBody shoulder model was used to calculate the activity
and forces of the shoulder muscles. RESULTS: Handling the pack of bottles caused
the highest forces in the deltoideus, trapezius, serratus anterior and rotator
cuff muscles. For handling the book, the highest forces were found in the
deltoideus (scapular part) and the serratus anterior, especially during the put
phase. CONCLUSIONS: Handling heavy objects such as a pack of bottles or a
wheelchair produces high forces on the rotator cuff muscles and can lead to early
fatigue. Therefore, these activities seem to be associated with a high risk of
developing impingement syndrome. Implications for Rehabilitation In a single
patient, this study demonstrates that the load on the rotator cuff is high during
reaching movements. Handling a pack of water bottles, which resembles wheelchair
handling, represents an activity associated with a high risk of developing
impingement syndrome. Shoulder muscles must be trained in a balanced way to
provide stabilization at the shoulder joint and prevent fatigue.

Langue : ANGLAIS