Adding ultrasound in the management of soft tissue disorders of the shoulder: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
There is still a lack of evidence about the beneficial effects of ultrasound (US) intervention for the management of soft tissue problems. Thus, this study was designed to assess the effectiveness of US over a placebo intervention when added to other physical therapy interventions and exercise in the management of shoulder disorders.


METHODS
Forty patients who were diagnosed by ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging to have a periarticular soft tissue disorder of the shoulder were randomly assigned to either a group that received true US (n=20; mean time since onset of pain=8.7 months, SD=8.8, range=1-36) or a group that received sham US (n=20; mean time since onset of pain=8.1 months, SD=10.8, range=1-42). Besides true or sham US (10 minutes), superficial heat (10 minutes), electrical stimulation (15 minutes), and an exercise program (15-30 minutes) were administered to both groups 5 days each week for 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Subjects showed within-group improvements in pain, range of motion, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire scores, and Health Assessment Questionnaire scores with the intervention, but the differences did not reach significance when compared between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that true US, compared with sham US, brings no further benefit when applied in addition to other physical therapy interventions in the management of soft tissue disorders of the shoulder.
Kurtaiş Gürsel
Yeşim
Y
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Ankara, Turkey. ykurtais@ttnet.net.tr
Ulus
Yasemin
Y
Bilgiç
Ayşe
A
Dinçer
Gülay
G
van der Heijden
Geert J M G
GJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010919:Placebos; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012782:Shoulder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy; D014463:Ultrasonography
D010919:Placebos