Rehabilitation of the rheumatoid shoulder.

In the treatment of the rheumatoid shoulder physiotherapy allows the use of positions relieving the joint of discomfort and preventing deformities. Isometric contractions prevent muscular atrophy. An individual programme of gentle, progressive assisted mobilization permits the total rapid recovery of painful stiffness in simple synovitis and partial recovery of painful stiffness in simple synovitis and partial recovery in the more advanced arthritic lesions. Occupational therapy techniques are proposed to complete the effect of physiotherapy at a means of adapting the patient to the difficulties encountered in daily living.