The nature of and treatment of tendinitis of the musculotendinous cuff of the shoulder and subacromial bursitis.

Abstract

The nature of tendinitis and bursitis of the shoulder cuff is poorly understood by many practitioners which results in inadequate therapy and a number of disabled shoulders. Repeated traumas play a large part in etiology and appear to account for the pathology. Statistically the condition affects females more than males. Three stages of tendinitis and bursitis are described with variations. A number of primary forms of treatment are described which should almost always be followed by sedation, abduction of the arm, warm moist packs, and the proper exercises. Abduction and exercises usually prevent the disabling frozen shoulder. Addiction is frequent in chronic cases. The physician must see the patient almost daily to rehearse the exercises and to impress the patient with the necessity of this. Surgery is beneficial in some acute and chronic cases. Superior lung lobe tumors in older patients produce at times shoulder pain simulating bursitis and are confusing when the calcium deposit is present in the shoulder region.