Effectiveness of Standardized Physical Therapy Exercises for Patients With Difficulty Returning to Usual Activities After Decompression Surgery for Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: Randomized Controlled Trial

126 patients who underwent subacromial decompression surgery and were having difficulty returning to daily activities were randomized to receive either standardized physiotherapy exercise or conventional care post-surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine if this standardized physiotherapy intervention was associated with greater improvements in shoulder pain, function, and patient satisfaction when compared to conventional care at 3 and 12 months. The results of this trial demonstrated that patients in the physiotherapy groups had significantly larger improvements in the Oxford Shoulder score at 12 months, significantly improved Constant Shoulder scores, scapular dyskinesis, and maximum oxygen uptake at 3 months, significantly improved Fear-Avoidance Beliefs and EQ-5D-3L index scores at 12 months, and greater Patients’ Global Impression of Change scores at 3 and 12 months when compared to control group. Differences between groups for subacromial injections, chiropractor consultation, and receiving alternative treatment were not significant between groups.