The study
Recruitment is underway for a study investigating the function of the deltoid muscle following reverse total shoulder replacement surgery. The study uses advanced electromyography (EMG) to compare muscle activation before and after surgery.
Why the deltoid matters here
A reverse total shoulder replacement changes the mechanics of the joint so that the deltoid, rather than the rotator cuff, becomes the muscle principally responsible for raising the arm. Since the operation is generally used where the rotator cuff is beyond repair, how well the deltoid takes on that role is central to the result.
Despite that, the detail of how the deltoid is recruited and controlled after this operation is not fully understood, and the neural control involved appears to be more intricate than was previously thought. Measuring activation directly, before and after surgery in the same patients, is a way of establishing what actually changes rather than inferring it.
Who is involved
The project is funded by the Metro South Health Research Support Scheme in partnership with Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Wolbert "Wolly" Van Den Hoorn, scientist, is helping lead the work.
With thanks to our patients
Thank you to the patients who agree to take part in research of this kind. Work that aims to improve the care of future shoulder surgery patients depends entirely on people being willing to contribute to it.
Related information
See our reverse total shoulder replacement and rehabilitation pages, and shoulder anatomy for the muscles involved.