Adding Multimedia Animations to Exercise Therapy Provides No Additional Benefit for Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy
• Digital Health

Background:

• Exercise therapy is crucial for managing rotator cuff-related shoulder pain.
• The effectiveness of multimedia tools in enhancing adherence and engagement over traditional materials is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare a paper-based exercise program with and without multimedia animations for rotator cuff pain.
• To evaluate the added value of multimedia animations in patient outcomes and adherence.

Main Methods:

• An open-label randomized clinical trial involving 154 patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain.
• Comparison of a standard paper-based program with an enhanced program including multimedia animations.
• Assessment of Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, pain intensity, satisfaction, and adherence over 24 weeks.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed improvement, with no significant differences in Shoulder Pain and Disability Index or pain intensity.
• No significant between-group differences were observed in patient satisfaction, perceived improvement, or adherence.
• Adherence to exercise decreased over time in both groups.

Conclusions:

• Multimedia animations did not offer additional benefits to a well-established paper-based exercise program with therapist support.
• Current evidence suggests that digital enhancements may not be superior to traditional methods for rotator cuff pain management.
• Further research may explore specific patient populations or different digital intervention designs.