Home training with or without joint mobilization compared to no treatment: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Subacromial pain syndrome (SASP) is a common cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction.
• Effective treatment strategies are crucial for improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the added benefits of joint mobilization to a home exercise program (HEP) for SASP.
• To compare HEP with or without joint mobilization against no physical therapy.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-nine patients with SASP participated in a 12-week study.
• Intervention groups received HEP twice daily, with one group also receiving add-on joint mobilization.
• A control group received no physical therapy.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in the total Constant-Murley score were observed between groups.
• Both intervention groups reported reduced pain at 12 weeks compared to the control group.
• The group receiving add-on joint mobilization achieved clinically important pain reduction at 12 weeks.

Conclusions:

• A home exercise program alone was not superior to no treatment in improving overall shoulder function (Constant-Murley score).
• Both home exercise programs, with or without joint mobilization, demonstrated a potential to decrease pain compared to no intervention.
• Joint mobilization may offer additional pain relief benefits when combined with a home exercise program for subacromial pain syndrome.