title: A comparison of work absence periods and the associated costs for two different modes of exercise therapies for patients with longstanding subacromial pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no studies on economic issues concerning rehabilitation exercises for shoulder pain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate sick leave and the associated costs after a medical exercise therapy programme in patients with longstanding subacromial pain/impingement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial in which 61 patients were randomly assigned either to a high-dosage medical exercise therapy group (HD) (n=31) or to a low dosage exercise therapy group (LD) (n=30). Both groups were given three treatments a week over 3 months. The differences between the groups were number of repetitions, number of sets and time performing global aerobic exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The outcome for the HD group was significantly (p<0.05) better compared to the LD group. The reduction in costs for sick leave for the HD group was 59.1%, whereas for the LD group, the reduction was only 42.3%, which is a significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with longstanding subacromial pain, HD medical exercise therapy might be an efficient treatment approach.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Education and Social Work, Department of Physical Therapy, Sør-Trøndelag University College, N-7004, Trondheim, Norway. harvard.osteras@hist.no
authors.forename: Håvard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Østerås
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arild Torstensen
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arntzen
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: S Østerås
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation