Associations of Range of Motion and Muscle Strength with Pain and Disability in Patients with Rotator Cuff–Related Shoulder Pain

Year 2025, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 34 - 42, 30.06.2025

Ertan Şahinoğlu

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of glenohumeral range of motion and shoulder muscle strength on pain and disability in patients with rotator cuff–related shoulder pain.
Methods: Forty‐one patients were included. Pain and disability was assessed with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). Glenohumeral range of motion (flexion, abduction, total rotation) and shoulder muscle strength (muscle strength in the full-can position and the external rotator/internal rotator muscle strength ratio) were measured. Robust regression analysis was performed using a stepwise approach.
Results: Adding range of motion did not significantly improve the model's explanation of the SPADI score, whereas including muscle strength variables did (ΔR2 = 0.12; χ2(2) = 6.70,
p = 0.03). The final model explained 39% of the variance in the SPADI score. Lower muscle strength in the full-can position was associated with a greater SPADI score (B = 2.26, 95% CI [4.07, 0.44], p = 0.02). Flexion, abduction, and total rotation ranges of motion, and the external rotator/internal rotator muscle strength ratio were not associated with pain and disability (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Shoulder muscle strength plays a more important role than glenohumeral range of motion in explaining pain and disability in patients with rotator cuff–related shoulder pain. Lower muscle strength in the full-can position is associated with greater pain and disability.

Keywords

Functional status , Muscle strength , Pain , Range of motion , Rotator cuff , Shoulder

Ethical Statement

The study was approved by the Non-invasive Clinical Research Ethics Committee of İzmir Bakırçay University.

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