Shoulder Subluxation in Elderly Inpatients

Examination of the plain chest radiographs of 300 patients consecutively admitted to a department of geriatric medicine revealed that 16 patients had subluxation of the shoulder. Subluxation and excursion of the humeral head were measured, and the results were correlated with with the range of movement and the ability to perform the activities of daily living. No significant relationship was found, but there was a tendency toward increased impairment of movement with increased excursion. The causes of shoulder subluxation include rheumatoid arthritis and previous injury, but subluxation may be no more than a reflection of the aging process, lax musculature, or an intrinsic mild abnormality of the joint structure. As it is of little practical significance, treatment should be undertaken only in the presence of troublesome pain.