Mapping of ultrasonography methods and shoulder soft-tissue injury locations in patients with stroke: a scoping review

Authors

  • Masayuki Dogan Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
  • Daisuke Ito Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1924-3849
  • Shota Watanabe Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokyo Bay Rehabilitation Hospital, Chiba, Japan
  • Tetsuya Tsuji Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4728-9409
  • Michiyuki Kawakami Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokyo Bay Rehabilitation Hospital, Chiba, Japan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6459-3325

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.43179

Keywords:

shoulder soft-tissue injury, stroke, ultrasonography

Abstract

Objective: To map studies that use ultrasonography to assess shoulder soft-tissue injuries in stroke survivors and identify the methods and soft-tissue injury locations.

Design: Scoping review.

Methods: A literature search was performed through PubMed and ICHUSI from 1966 to May 2023 using the terms “stroke”, “shoulder soft-tissue injury”, and “ultrasonography”. Original articles that used ultrasonography to evaluate shoulder soft-tissue injuries in patients with stroke were selected. Extracted data included study design, phase, sample size, ultrasonographic methods (probe, evaluation position, frequency, and assessment site), and soft-tissue injury location.

Results: Among 249 articles identified, 10 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In ultrasonographic methods, over half the studies used linear transducer probes, evaluated participants in a sitting position, and applied frequencies of 5–7 MHz. Common assessment sites were the supraspinatus tendon, long head of the biceps tendon, subscapularis tendon, infraspinatus tendon, and subacromial-subdeltoid bursa. The most common locations of shoulder soft-tissue injuries were the long head of the biceps tendon (effusion/tendinitis) and the supraspinatus tendon (tear/tendinitis).

Conclusion: This study identified ultrasonographic methods and hemiplegic shoulder soft-tissue injury locations. These findings may help facilitate evaluations and enable proper assessment of shoulder soft-tissue injuries in patients with stroke using ultrasonography in clinical practice.

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Published

2025-07-20

How to Cite

Dogan, M., Ito, D., Watanabe, S., Tsuji, T., & Kawakami, M. (2025). Mapping of ultrasonography methods and shoulder soft-tissue injury locations in patients with stroke: a scoping review. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 57, jrm43179. https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.43179

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