title: Effect of a standard exercise protocol on shoulder pain in long-term wheelchair users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effectiveness of a 6-month exercise protocol on shoulder pain experienced by wheelchair users during functional activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two wheelchair users, 35 males and seven females: average age of 35 years and an average duration of wheelchair use of 14 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were randomly assigned to treatment (n=21) and control (n=21) groups. The treatment group received instruction in five shoulder exercises which they performed daily for 6 months. The exercise protocol included two exercises for stretching anterior shoulder musculature and three exercises for strengthening posterior shoulder musculature.
  
  
  METHODS
  All subjects completed a self-report questionnaire and the Wheelchair Users Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI) initially and at bimonthly intervals during the 6-month intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-five per cent of the subjects reported a history of shoulder pain since beginning wheelchair use. The average initial performance-corrected (PC-WUSPI) score of the 42 subjects was 17.7 (+/-21.3) with a range of 0-103.2 points. Over 83% of the subjects (35 of 42) completed the 6-month study. Subjects in the treatment group decreased their PC-WUSPI score by an average of 39.9%, compared to decreases of only 2.5% in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings supported the effectiveness of this exercise protocol in decreasing the intensity of shoulder pain which interferes with functional activity in wheelchair users.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, California State University, Fresno, School of Health and Human Services, 93740-8031, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Tyner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zachary
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lentell
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brink
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Didyk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gean
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lesina
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pacillas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014910:Wheelchairs