Two Transcutaneous Stimulation Techniques in Shoulder Pain: Transcutaneous Pulsed Radiofrequency (TPRF) versus...

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Chronic shoulder tendinitis presents a significant challenge in pain management and functional recovery.
• Current treatment options for shoulder tendinitis have varying degrees of efficacy and patient tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the safety and efficacy of transcutaneous pulsed radiofrequency (TPRF) against transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic shoulder tendinitis.
• To evaluate treatment comfort, adverse events, and changes in shoulder function scores.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving 50 patients with confirmed shoulder tendinitis.
• Patients were randomized into two groups: TENS (n=25) and TPRF (n=25), receiving treatment every other day for 15 minutes.
• Outcomes assessed included treatment tolerability, adverse events, Constant-Murley shoulder (CMS) scores, and pain, enjoyment of life, and general activity (PEG) scores.

Main Results:

• No adverse events were reported in either group, indicating high safety for both TPRF and TENS.
• TPRF group showed statistically significant lower PEG scores post-treatment and at 3 months, indicating better pain relief and improved quality of life.
• The TPRF group also exhibited significantly higher CMS scores immediately after treatment, suggesting enhanced shoulder function.

Conclusions:

• Both TPRF and TENS are safe and effective modalities for managing chronic shoulder tendinitis.
• TPRF demonstrates superior efficacy compared to TENS in reducing pain and improving functional outcomes in patients with chronic shoulder tendinitis.