Preserving the Shoulder Function of an Elite Para Triathlete: A Case Report.

Shoulder pain in wheelchair users that participate in competitive adaptive sports can be a troublesome condition. Shoulder pain not only affects athletic performance, but also functional activities such as wheelchair propulsion and weight bearing during transfers. Managing pain in these athletes thus presents a unique challenge due to the difficulty in achieving relative rest and the need to modify athletic shoulder-focused rehabilitation strategies. In all athletes, it is vital to establish an early, accurate diagnosis and optimize conservative treatment prior to considering surgical interventions in order to avoid excessive shoulder-related morbidity, loss of function, and worse - loss of independence.