Riassunto dello studio

One hundred and eleven patients with chronic subacromial bursitis were randomized to receive corticosteroid injections (n=36), physiotherapy (n=40), or a combination of both treatments (n=35). The primary outcomes were pain (VAS) and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) at 8 weeks post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included active range of motion, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire (SDQ), Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC), patient evaluation of treatment effect, and symptom recurrence assessed at 24 weeks. Overall, the results revealed that both the corticosteroid and combined groups showed significantly greater improvements in shoulder flexion, external rotation, and patient-rated treatment effect compared to physiotherapy alone. However, the physiotherapy group experienced the lowest recurrence rate. These findings suggest that combining corticosteroid injection with physiotherapy provides the most robust short-term functional improvement, while physiotherapy alone may offer better long-term symptom stability.