Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Musculoskeletal manifestations of COVID-19

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Letter to the Editor to this article was published on 03 February 2024

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected millions of people worldwide, with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) being the most common severe condition of pulmonary involvement. Despite its involvement in the lungs, SARS-CoV-2 causes multiple extrapulmonary manifestations, including manifestations in the musculoskeletal system. Several cases involving bone, joint, muscle, neurovascular and soft tissues were reported shortly after pandemic onset. Even after the acute infection has resolved, many patients experience persistent symptoms and a decrease in quality of life, a condition known as post-COVID syndrome or long COVID. COVID-19 vaccines have been widely available since December 2020, preventing millions of deaths during the pandemic. However, adverse reactions, including those involving the musculoskeletal system, have been reported in the literature. Therefore, the primary goal of this article is to review the main imaging findings of SARS-CoV-2 involvement in the musculoskeletal system, including acute, subacute, chronic and postvaccination manifestations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int/.

  2. Liu YC, Kuo RL, Shih SR. COVID-19: The first documented coronavirus pandemic in history. Biomed J. 2020;43(4):328–33.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Schroeder S, Kr¨uger N, Herrler T, Erichsen S, Schiergens TS, Herrler G, Wu NH, Nitsche A, M¨uller MA, Drosten C, P¨ohlmann S. SARS-CoV-2 cell entry depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and is blocked by a clinically proven protease inhibitor. Cell. 2020;181(2):271–280.e8.

  4. Paliwal VK, Garg RK, Gupta A, Tejan N. Neuromuscular presentations in patients with COVID-19. Neurol Sci. 2020;41(11):3039–56.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Disser NP, De Micheli AJ, Schonk MM, et al. Musculoskeletal Consequences of COVID-19. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2020;102(14):1197–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Wu Z, McGoogan JM. Characteristics of and important lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China: summary of a report of 72 314 cases from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. 2020.

  7. Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, Liu L, Shan H, Lei CL, Hui DSC, Du B, Li LJ, Zeng G, Yuen KY, Chen RC, Tang CL, Wang T, Chen PY, Xiang J, Li SY, Wang JL, Liang ZJ, Peng YX, Wei L, Liu Y, Hu YH, Peng P, Wang JM, Liu JY, Chen Z, Li G, Zheng ZJ, Qiu SQ, Luo J, Ye CJ, Zhu SY, Zhong NS, China Medical Treatment Expert Group for COVID-19. Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Revzin MV, Raza S, Warshawsky R, et al. Multisystem imaging manifestations of COVID-19. Part 1. Viral pathogenesis and pulmonary and vascular system complications. Radiographics. 2020;40(6):1574–99.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Revzin MV, Raza S, Srivastava NC, et al. Multisystem imaging manifestations of COVID-19. Part 2. From cardiac complications to pediatric manifestations. Radiographics. 2020;40(7):1866–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Karaarslan F, DemircioğluGüneri F, Karde S. Postdischarge rheumatic and musculoskeletal symptoms following hospitalization for COVID-19: prospective follow-up by phone interviews. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41(7):1263–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Davis HE, McCorkell L, Vogel JM, Topol EJ. Author Correction: Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2023;21(6):408.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Griffith JF. Musculoskeletal complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2011;15(5):554–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hong N, Du XK. Avascular necrosis of bone in severe acute respiratory syndrome. Clin Radiol. 2004;59(7):602–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Chan KL, Mok CC. Glucocorticoid-Induced avascular bone necrosis: diagnosis and management. Open Orthop J. 2012;6:449–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Meyers C, Lisiecki J, Miller S, Levin A, Fayad L, Ding C, Sono T, McCarthy E, Levi B, James AW. Heterotopic Ossification: A Comprehensive Review. JBMR Plus. 2019;3(4):e10172.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Stoira E, Elzi L, Puligheddu C, et al. High prevalence of heterotopic ossification in critically ill patients with severe COVID-19. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021;27(7):1049–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. McCleskey PE, Zimmerman B, Lieberman A, Liu L, Chen C, Gorouhi F, Jacobson CC, Lee DS, Sriram A, Thornton A, Herz AM, Mirmirani P, Herrinton LJ. Epidemiologic Analysis of Chilblains Cohorts Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(8):947–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. da Silva LNM, Guimarães JB, Link TM, da Cruz IAN, Silva FD, Nico MAC, Filho AGO. Prevalence of phalangeal bone marrow edema on MRI before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and correlation with chilblain skin lesions. Skeletal Radiol. 2023;11:1–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Abdullahi A, Candan SA, Abba MA, et al. Neurological and musculoskeletal features of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neurol. 2020;11:687.2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhu J, Ji P, Pang J, et al. Clinical characteristics of 3062 COVID-19 patients: A metaanalysis. J Med Virol. 2020;92:1902–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Ferrandi PJ, Alway SE, Mohamed JS. The interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 may have consequences for skeletal muscle viral susceptibility and myopathies. J Appl Physiol. 1985;2020(129):864–7.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Vanderveen BN, Fix DK, Montalvo RN, et al. The regulation of skeletal muscle fatigability and mitochondrial function by chronically elevated interleukin-6. Exp Physiol. 2019;104:385–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Torres PA, Helmstetter JA, Kaye AM, Kaye AD. Rhabdomyolysis: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment. Ochsner J. 2015;15:58–69.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Lu CH, Tsang YM, Yu CW, Wu MZ, Hsu CY, Shih TT. Rhabdomyolysis: magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2007;31(3):368–74.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Cunningham J, Sharma R, Kirzner A, Hwang S, Lefkowitz R, Greenspan D, Shapoval A, Panicek DM. Acute myonecrosis on MRI: etiologies in an oncological cohort and assessment of interobserver variability. Skeletal Radiol. 2016;45(8):1069–78.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Hannah JR, Ali SS, Nagra D, Adas MA, Buazon AD, Galloway JB, Gordon PA. Skeletal muscles and Covid-19: a systematic review of rhabdomyolysis and myositis in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2022;40(2):329–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Whittaker HR, Gulea C, Koteci A, Kallis C, Morgan AD, Iwundu C, Weeks M, Gupta R, Quint JK. GP consultation rates for sequelae after acute covid-19 in patients managed in the community or hospital in the UK: Population based study. BMJ. 2021;375:e065834.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Marks M, Marks JL. Viral arthritis. Clin Med. 2016;16:129–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ursini F, Ruscitti P, D’Angelo S, Cacciapaglia F, De Angelis R, Campochiaro C, et al. Broad clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV2-associated infammatory joint disease in adults: a report of 35 cases from the COVID-19 and Autoimmune systemic disease Italian study group. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80(11):1498–501.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Liew IY, Mak TM, Cui L, Vasoo S, Lim XR. A case of reactivearthritis secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 infection. JCR J Clin Rheumatol. 2020;26(6):233–233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Schenker HM, Hagen M, Simon D, Schett G, Manger B. Reactive arthritis and cutaneous vasculitis after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Rheumatology. 2021;60(1):479–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Omar IM, Weaver JS, Samet JD, Serhal AM, Mar WA, Taljanovic MS. Musculoskeletal Manifestations of COVID-19: Currently Described Clinical Symptoms and Multimodality Imaging Findings. Radiographics. 2022;42(5):1415–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Yazdanpanah N, Rezaei N. Autoimmune complications of COVID-19. J Med Virol. 2022;94:54–62.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Allen RL, Gillespie GM, Hall F, Edmonds S, Hall MA, Wordsworth BP, et al. Multiple T cell expansions are found in the bloodand synovial fuid of patients with reactive arthritis. J Rheumatol. 1997;24:1750–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Grassi M, Giorgi V, Nebuloni M, Gismondo MR, Salaffi F, Sarzi-Puttini P, Rimoldi SG, Manzotti A. SARS-CoV-2 in the knee joint: A cadaver study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021.

  36. Ramani SL, Samet J, Franz CK, Hsieh C, Nguyen CV, Horbinski C, Deshmukh S. Musculoskeletal involvement of COVID-19: review of imaging. Skeletal Radiol. 2021;50(9):1763–73.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Carneiro BC, Rizzetto TA, Silva FD, da Cruz IAN, Guimarães JB, Ormond Filho AG, Nico MAC. Sacroiliac joint beyond sacroiliitis-further insights and old concepts on magnetic resonance imaging. Skeletal Radiol. 2022;51(10):1923–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Fernandez CE, Franz CK, Ko JH, Walter JM, Koralnik IJ, Ahlawat S, Deshmukh S. Imaging Review of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Patients with COVID-19. Radiology. 2021;298(3):E117–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Finsterer J, Scorza FA. Guillain-Barre syndrome in 220 patients with COVID-19. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg. 2021;57:1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Alkan O, Yildirim T, Tokmak N, Tan M. Spinal MRI findings of guillain-barré syndrome. J Radiol Case Rep. 2009;3(3):25–8.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Castaneda DM, Chambers MM, Johnsen PH, Fedorka CJ. Parsonage-Turner syndrome following COVID-19 infection: a report of three cases. JSES Rev Rep Tech. 2023;3(2):247–51.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Cunha MCA, Schardonga J, Righi NC, Lunardi AC, Sant’Anna GN, Isensee LP, et al. Impact of prone positioning on patients with COVID-19 and ARDS on invasive mechanical ventilation: a multicenter cohort study. J Bras Pneumol. 2022;48(2):e20210374.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Tennilä A, Salmi T, Pettilä V, Roine RO, Varpula T, Takkunen O. Early signs of critical illness polyneuropathy in ICU patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis. Intensive Care Med. 2000;26(9):1360–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Chhabra A, Madhuranthakam AJ, Andreisek G. Magnetic resonance neurography: current perspectives and literature review. Eur Radiol. 2018;28(2):698–707.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Marciniak C. Fibular (peroneal) neuropathy: electrodiagnostic features and clinical correlates. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2013;24(1):121–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Acharya Y, Alameer A, Calpin G, Alkhattab M, Sultan S. A comprehensive review of vascular complications in COVID-19. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2022;53(3):586–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Rey JR, Merino JL, Iniesta ÁM, Caro-Codón J, CARDCOVID investigators. Arterial thrombotic complications in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Response to related letters. Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2021;74(1):116.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Pollak AW, Norton PT, Kramer CM. Multimodality imaging of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease: current role and future directions. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2012;5(6):797–807.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Smitaman E, Flores DV, Mejía Gómez C, Pathria MN. MR imaging of atraumatic muscle disorders. Radiographics. 2018;38(2):500–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Challoner T, Vesel T, Dosanjh A, Kok K. The risk of pressure ulcers in a proned COVID population. Surgeon. 2022;20(4):e144–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Soriano JB, Murthy S, Marshall JC, Relan P, Diaz JV. Condition WHOCCDWGoP-C-. A clinical case definition of post-Covid-19 condition by a Delphi consensus. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022;22:e102–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Brown SM, Bose S, Banner-Goodspeed V, Beesley SJ, Dinglas VD, Hopkins RO, et al. Approaches to addressing post-intensive care syndrome among intensive care unit survivors. A narrative review. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019;16:947–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Sergi G, Trevisan C, Veronese N, Lucato P, Manzato E. Imaging of sarcopenia. Eur J Radiol. 2016;85(8):1519–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2016.04.009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, Boirie Y, Bruyère O, Cederholm T, Cooper C, Landi F, Rolland Y, Sayer AA, Schneider SM, Sieber CC, Topinkova E, Vandewoude M, Visser M, Zamboni M, Writing Group for the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2), and the Extended Group for EWGSOP2. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019;48(1):16–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Tamai K, Chen J, Stone M, et al. The evaluation of lumbar paraspinal muscle quantity and quality using the Goutallier classification and lumbar indentation value. Eur Spine J. 2018;27:1005–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Boutin RD, Yao L, Canter RJ, Lenchik L. Sarcopenia: Current Concepts and Imaging Implications. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2015;205(3):W255–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Inhuber S, Sollmann N, Schlaeger S, Dieckmeyer M, Burian E, Kohlmeyer C, Karampinos DC, Kirschke JS, Baum T, Kreuzpointner F, Schwirtz A. Associations of thigh muscle fat infiltration with isometric strength measurements based on chemical shift encoding-based water-fat magnetic resonance imaging. Eur Radiol Exp. 2019;3(1):45.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  58. Farrow M, Biglands J, Tanner SF, Clegg A, Brown L, Hensor EMA, O’Connor P, Emery P, Tan AL. The effect of ageing on skeletal muscle as assessed by quantitative MR imaging: an association with frailty and muscle strength. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2021;33(2):291–301.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Albano D, Messina C, Vitale J, Sconfienza LM. Imaging of sarcopenia: old evidence and new insights. Eur Radiol. 2020;30(4):2199–208.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Farr E, Wolfe AR, Deshmukh S, Rydberg L, Soriano R, Walter JM, Boon AJ, Wolfe LF, Franz CK. Diaphragm dysfunction in severe COVID-19 as determined by neuromuscular ultrasound. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2021;8(8):1745–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Spiesshoefer J, Friedrich J, Regmi B, Geppert J, Jörn B, Kersten A, Giannoni A, Boentert M, Marx G, Marx N, Daher A, Dreher M. Diaphragm dysfunction as a potential determinant of dyspnea on exertion in patients 1 year after COVID-19-related ARDS. Respir Res. 2022;23(1):187.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  62. Ritchie H, Mathieu E, Rodés-Guirao L, Appel C, Giattino C, Ortiz-Ospina E, Hasell J, Macdonald B, Beltekian D, Roser M. Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). 2020 Published online at OurWorldInData.org. https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus. Accessed 2020

  63. Watson OJ, Barnsley G, Toor J, Hogan AB, Winskill P, Ghani AC. Global impact of the first year of COVID-19 vaccination: a mathematical modelling study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022;22(9):1293–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Hirsiger JR, Tamborrini G, Harder D, et al. Chronic inflammation and extracellular matrix-specific autoimmunity following inadvertent periarticular influenza vaccination. J Autoimmun. 2021;124:102714.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Honarmand AR, Mackey J, Hayeri R. Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination: Report of 2 cases of subacromialsubdeltoid bursitis. Radiol Case Rep. 2021;16(12):3631–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  66. Bancsi A, Houle SKD, Grindrod KA. Getting it in the right spot: Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) and other injection site events. Can Pharm J. 2018;151(5):295–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Co M, Wong PCP, Kwong A. COVID-19 vaccine associated axillary lymphadenopathy - A systematic review. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2022;31:100546.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. Nakashima C, Kato M, Otsuka A. Cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination. J Dermatol. 2023;50(3):280–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/1346-8138.16651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Lindgren AL, Austin AH, Welsh KM. COVID Arm: Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Misdiagnosed as Cellulitis. J Prim Care Community Health. 2021;12:21501327211024430.

  70. McMahon DE, Amerson E, Rosenbach M, Lipoff JB, Moustafa D, Tyagi A, et al. Cutaneous reactions reported after Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination: a registry-based study of 414 cases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021;85:46–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  71. Quintero D, Patel N, Harris G, Maristany A, Alani A, Rosenberg AE, Conway SA, Jose J. COVID-19 vaccine-associated ganulomatous mass mimicking a sarcoma: a case report. Radiol Case Rep. 2022;17(8):2775–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  72. Olivieri B, Betterle C, Zanoni G. Vaccinations and Autoimmune Diseases. Vaccines. 2021;9(8):815 (Basel).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  73. Hosseini R, Askari N. A review of neurological side effects of COVID-19 vaccination. Eur J Med Res. 2023;28(1):102.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  74. Safary A, Esalatmanesh K, Eftekharsadat AT, Jafari Nakjavani MR, Khabbazi A. Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases post-COVID-19 vaccination. Int Immunopharmacol. 2022;110:109061.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  75. Sheka M, Coattrenec Y, Lorenzini KI, Nendaz M. A severe case of rhabdomyolysis after Moderna mRNA anti-COVID-19 vaccine with a literature review. Clin Case Rep. 2023;11(5):e7184.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Júlio Brandão Guimarães.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

da Silva, L.N.M., Filho, A.G.O. & Guimarães, J.B. Musculoskeletal manifestations of COVID-19. Skeletal Radiol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-023-04549-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-023-04549-4

Keywords

Navigation