title: Self-training versus physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation of the shoulder in patients treated with arthroscopic subacromial decompression: a clinical randomized study.
abstract: In a controlled clinical prospective study, 43 consecutive patients (43 shoulders) with subacromial impingement resistant to conservative therapy and without full-thickness rotator cuff tears underwent arthroscopic subacromial decompression. The patients were randomized to either self-training or physiotherapist-guided rehabilitation for immediate postoperative rehabilitation. Postoperative follow-up was performed by an independent observer after 3, 6, and 12 months. With the use of the Constant score for evaluation of functional outcome, patients training themselves improved from a mean 53 points (range 26 to 81 points) to a mean 79 points (range 45 to 100) points after 12 months. Physiotherapist-supervised patients improved from a mean 54 points (range 20 to 90 points) to a mean 80 points (range 40 to 100 points). The self-training patients returned to work after a mean 8.5 weeks (range 1 to 14 weeks), whereas the physiotherapist-supervised patients returned to work after a mean 8 weeks (range 3 to 13 weeks). No statistical difference was found between the 2 rehabilitation methods. This study was unable to show any beneficial effect of physiotherapist-supervised rehabilitation after arthroscopic subacromial decompression of the shoulder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Søjbjerg
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Johannsen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sneppen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome