Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) After COVID-19 Vaccination: A Retrospective Study
SIRVA is a rare complication following COVID-19 vaccination and is best considered a medicolegal term rather than a definitive diagnosis. Strict adherence to diagnostic criteria is essential, as overdiagnosis may occur among patients with coincidental post-vaccination shoulder pain. While most cases resolve with conservative management, a subset may experience persistent symptoms. Evidence suggests that SIRVA is more likely related to improper injection technique rather than the vaccine itself.
Authors
- Matthew Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3430-2176)
- Gopikanthan Manoharan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2616-2000)
- Peter Brownson
- J.R. Winton
- Thivagar Murugesan
Institutions
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (GB)
- Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (GB)
- Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (GB)
- Liverpool Womens NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cureus
- Published
- 2025-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.98023
- Primary Topic
- Intramuscular injections and effects
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00