A 72-Year-Old Man Comes to the Physician Because of Shoulder

question 788

Multiple Choice

A 72-year-old man comes to the physician because of shoulder pain, which has been present for 3 weeks and began after a mild fall that was braced by his outstretched arm.  The pain is felt over his lateral shoulder and often keeps him awake at night.  It also makes it difficult for him to lift anything overhead.
Passive range of motion is normal; however, range of motion with any resistance is limited and the patient is unable to maintain 90 degrees of abduction.  There is weakness with abduction and external rotation.
Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

• A)Cervical nerve root impingement
• B)Frozen shoulder
• C)Osteoarthritis
• D)Rotator cuff impingement
• E)Rotator cuff tear

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Definitions:

Relevant

Pertaining to or connected with the matter at hand; applicable or significant to the topic being discussed.

Paired-comparison Method

A technique in performance appraisal where an employee's performance is compared directly with that of another employee.

Consistency

The quality of always behaving or performing in a similar manner, allowing for reliability and predictability.

Performance Improvement

A systematic approach to analyzing and enhancing organizational processes and individual performance to achieve better outcomes.