The effectiveness of comprehensive physiotherapy compared with corticosteroid injection on pain, disability, treatment effectiveness, and quality of life in patients with subacromial pain syndrome: a parallel, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

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研究概要

50 patients with unilateral subacromial pain syndrome (SPAS) were randomly allotted to undergo either comprehensive physiotherapy (CP; n=25) or to be administered with corticosteroid injections (SCI; n=25). The outcomes assessed were the intensity of pain measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), functional disability assessed by using a shortened Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick-DASH) questionnaire and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). Quality of life was assessed by using Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index and effectiveness of treatment was assessed using global rating of change (GRC). All outcomes were measured at baseline, post intervention, 3- months and 6- months. The results of the study reveal that while patients in both groups showed improvement in all outcomes at all time points, the quick-DASH, SPADI and WORC readings showed significantly greater improvement in the CP group as compared to SCI groups. Though there was no significant difference in VAS readings between the groups, mean VAS scores post treatment was lower in CP group. Also, patient-reported GRC scores indicated significantly improved pain outcomes in the CP group.