There currently is a wide variation in the definition of multidirectional instability of the shoulder in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine if these variations influence the distribution of the diagnoses in a cohort of patients with shoulder instability.
This study demonstrated that variations in the criteria used for the diagnosis of multidirectional instability significantly affect the distribution of patients with that diagnosis. The use of laxity testing tends to result in an overestimation of the number of patients with this condition. This observation is important because the results of studies may vary if patients with traumatic instability are considered to have multidirectional instability on the basis of laxity testing. Investigators studying patients with multidirectional instability should carefully define the inclusion criteria that they used.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.
There currently is a wide variation in the definition of multidirectional instability of the shoulder in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine if these variations influence the distribution of the diagnoses in a cohort of patients with shoulder instability.
This study demonstrated that variations in the criteria used for the diagnosis of multidirectional instability significantly affect the distribution of patients with that diagnosis. The use of laxity testing tends to result in an overestimation of the number of patients with this condition. This observation is important because the results of studies may vary if patients with traumatic instability are considered to have multidirectional instability on the basis of laxity testing. Investigators studying patients with multidirectional instability should carefully define the inclusion criteria that they used.
Copyright remains with the authors and publisher.