The prevalence and characteristics of shoulder pain after traumatic brain injury

Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of shoulder pain in people with traumatic brain injury participating in inpatient rehabilitation and to compare the clinical presentation with that of people with stroke.Design: A prospective comparative study.Setting: Six metropolitan rehabilitation units.Subjects: Eighty-seven people with traumatic brain injury and 52 people with stroke took part in the study.Main measures: Assessment of shoulder pain, range of motion, strength and function was conducted on admission and, for the subjects with traumatic brain injury, at discharge if rehabilitation exceeded two weeks.Results: The prevalence of shoulder pain in people with traumatic brain injury was 62%, which was comparable with the 69% of subjects with stroke that experienced shoulder pain (odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.34 -1.5). Fracture in the shoulder complex and passive shoulder external rotation range of motion were the best predictors for shoulder pain after traumatic brain in...