Background: The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) shoulder scoring system (JOA score) has been used of clinical evaluation for shoulder disease. Currently Shoulder evaluation sheet Shoulder 36 (Sh36) has been introduced as a new evaluation system, though the differences and similarities between these two clinical evaluations is not well known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate correlations between Sh36 and JOA score; assess clinical significance in Sh36.
Methods: We evaluated 40 shoulders in 40 consecutive patients (18 male, 22 female) who had arthroscopic shoulder surgeries. Average age at the surgery was 59.0 years. Forty shoulders were divided into 3 disease groups: 22 cases of impingement syndrome, 11 cases of rotator cuff tears and 7 cases of stiff shoulders. Preoperative clinical evaluation was performed with both Sh36 and JOA score; correlations between domains, disease groups and gender in the two clinical evaluations were statistically evaluated.
Results: Each domain (Pain, ROM, Muscle strength, General health and ADL) has significant correlation between Sh36 and JOA score. A relatively weak correlation was observed at ROM domain in all three disease groups. Pain, Total and ADL scores have significant correlations in male patients. Pain, Muscle strength and ADL scores have significant correlations in female patients.
Conclusion: Significant correlations between Sh36 and JOA score were observed except for ROM domain; Sh36 was recognized as a clinically useful evaluation system.
