Shoulder arthralgia: case study of the Occupational Medicine clinic of Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)

INTRODUCTION: Shoulder pain is ranked as the third most common musculoskeletal complaint in clinical practice. It is estimated that 65 to 70% of these occurrences are due to rotator cuff injuries. A significant number of rotator cuff syndrome cases are work related. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the success or failure of therapeutic and administrative procedures for workers treated at an occupational medicine outpatient clinic. METHODS: This study analyzed the medical reports of 142 workers treated for shoulder pain between January 2015 and December 2019. To homogenize the information, medical record review was necessary in some cases. RESULTS: Rotator cuff syndrome was diagnosed in 84% of the cases after imaging exams. Conservative treatment was recommended for 88% of these patients and 58% required subsequent surgical treatment. Regarding rehabilitation, 51% of the patients were able to return to work and 49% returned to the same job function. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosing rotator cuff syndrome requires clinical and occupational history assessment, as well as imaging examinations, and the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound were similar to magnetic resonance imaging. Removal from work and its risks must be an integral part of treatment. Upon returning to work, the rehabilitation and reintegration process should involve activities that will not worsen the injury.