Disability assessment scales in older adults with musculoskeletal pathology of the upper limb

Abstract

Introduction.  The research was a systematic review of the published scientific literature on scales that assess disability in musculoskeletal pathology of the upper limb. Objective.  The objective of this review was to analyze the scales of functionality and disability assessment for the upper limb in the elderly. Methodology.  The identification, analysis, and elaboration of results followed the methodological process according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses statement. The search strategy was based on a maximum of 2 combinations for each scale: "scale name" and a combination of Boolean terms "body region", in the scientific databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus in the English language. A total of 61 studies were included, distributed among the following scales: Shoulder and pain disability index, simple shoulder test, and Constant-Murley score. American shoulder and elbow surgeons, Oxford shoulder score, the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand. Results.  The instruments analyzed have been validated and used in upper limb pathology in the older adult population in different clinical approaches. considering surgical and/or conservative treatments. Conclusion.  The instruments that have been validated and used in musculoskeletal pathology of the upper limbs are also useful in older adults, considering the incidence of injuries in this population. All scales were used in rotator cuff injuries, however, their applicability.