A pilot randomized, controlled trial of treatment for painful arc of the shoulder

This report has been verified by one or more authors of the original publication.

112 patients presenting to their general practitioners with symptoms of a painful arc of less than 6 month duration were randomized to 4 groups receiving either physiotherapy, a course of subacromial steroid injections, combination of physiotherapy and steroid injections, or no intervention. No significant clinical outcome differences in the OSS or SF-36 scores were identifiable between the groups at the enrollment, the end of the trial at 18 weeks, or at 1 year post follow up.