A randomized, controlled clinical trial of a treatment for shoulder pain

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A randomized, controlled clinical trial of a treatment for shoulder pain

KA Ginn, RD Herbert, W Khouw, and R Lee

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia. k.ginn@cchs.usyd.edu.au

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a physical therapy approach to the treatment of shoulder pain. Subjects. Sixty-six volunteers with shoulder pain believed to be of local mechanical origin were randomly allocated to either a treatment group or a control group. METHODS: Subjects in the treatment group received 1 month of physical therapy aimed at restoring function of their shoulder muscles. Subjects in the control group received no treatment. Outcome measurements of pain intensity, range of motion (ROM), isometric muscle force, functional impairment, and self-perception of improvement were obtained by blinded assessment. RESULTS: Subjects in the treatment group showed improvement in pain-free abduction and flexion ROM, functional impairment, and self-perception of improvement. The control group deteriorated slightly over the experimental period in ROM and functional impairment measures. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: These results suggest that the physical therapy approach used in this study is effective in improving shoulder function in subjects experiencing pain of mechanical origin. The results also provide little evidence of spontaneous recovery over a 1-month period.

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				P. W McClure, J. Bialker, N. Neff, G. Williams, and A. Karduna Shoulder Function and 3-Dimensional Kinematics in People With Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Before and After a 6-Week Exercise Program Physical Therapy, September 1, 2004; 84(9): 832 - 848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. K. Gursel, Y. Ulus, A. Bilgic, G. Dincer, and G. J. van der Heijden Adding Ultrasound in the Management of Soft Tissue Disorders of the Shoulder: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial Physical Therapy, April 1, 2004; 84(4): 336 - 343. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P M Ludewig and J D Borstad Effects of a home exercise programme on shoulder pain and functional status in construction workers Occup. Environ. Med., November 1, 2003; 60(11): 841 - 849. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. P. Tygiel and C. D Ciccone On "Does acetic acid iontophoresis accelerate the resorption of calcium deposits in calcific tendinitis of the shoulder?" Physical Therapy, July 1, 2003; 83(7): 667 - 670. [Full Text] [PDF]

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				P. M Ludewig and T. M Cook Alterations in Shoulder Kinematics and Associated Muscle Activity in People With Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement Physical Therapy, March 1, 2000; 80(3): 276 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]