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Physiotherapy interventions for shoulder pain.

S Green1, R Buchbinder, S Hetrick

  • 1Australasian Cochrane Centre, Monash University, Australasian Cochrane Centre, Locked Bag 29, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. sally.green@med.monash.edu.au

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|June 14, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Physiotherapy shows some effectiveness for specific shoulder disorders like rotator cuff disease, but overall evidence is limited by trial quality and size. More research is needed for comprehensive guidance.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedics
  • Physical Therapy
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Shoulder disorders are prevalent, causing significant disability.
  • Physiotherapy is a common first-line treatment, but its efficacy is not well-established.
  • Few shoulder disorder treatments have proven efficacy in randomized controlled trials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the efficacy of physiotherapy interventions for shoulder pain, stiffness, and disability.
  • To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on physiotherapy for shoulder disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Searched major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL) from 1966 to 2002.
  • Included randomized controlled trials of physiotherapy interventions for shoulder disorders (excluding trauma/inflammatory diseases).

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  • Assessed methodological quality using PEDro scale criteria and performed meta-analysis where possible.

    • Main Results:

    • Exercise showed short-term effectiveness for rotator cuff disease and longer-term functional benefit.
    • Mobilization with exercise offered additional benefit for rotator cuff disease.
    • Laser therapy was effective for adhesive capsulitis; ultrasound and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy showed improvement for calcific tendinitis pain.

    Conclusions:

    • Limited evidence exists due to small sample sizes and variable trial quality.
    • Some physiotherapy interventions are effective for specific conditions.
    • Further high-quality trials are needed for specific conditions and combinations of interventions.