Comparison of different electrotherapy methods and exercise therapy in shoulder impingement syndrome: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Özet

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the effects of different electrotherapymethods and exercise therapy on pain, function and quality of life in shoulder impingement syndrome.Methods: Eighty-three patients (66 females, 17 males; mean age: 48.2 ± 7.33 years) with shoulderimpingement syndrome were selected and 79 of them were randomly allocated into four groups. Group 1(n ¼ 19, mean age: 47.89 ± 7.12 years) was given hot pack and exercises, Group 2 (n ¼ 20, mean age:47.70 ± 6.51 years) was given hot packs, exercises and interferential current, Group 3 (n ¼ 20, mean age:48.50 ± 8.34 years) was given hot packs, exercises and TENS and Group 4 (n ¼ 20, mean age: 48.55 ± 7.89years) was given hot packs, exercises and ultrasound three times a week for four weeks. Assessments weremade before treatment, right after it and three months after that using the visual analog scale (VAS), ShortForm-36 (SF-36) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measures.Results: At the fourth week and third month assessments, all groups showed significant improvementsin terms of pain, DASH and SF-36 physical component scores (p 0.05).Conclusion: Application of ultrasound, interferential current and TENS in addition to exercise therapy inshoulder impingement syndrome treatment had similar improvements in terms of pain, function andphysical component of quality of life. However, interferential current treatment showed significantlybetter outcomes for the mental component of quality of life.