Radial extracorporeal shockwave treatment compared with supervised exercises in patients with subacromial pain syndrome: single blind randomised study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of radial extracorporeal shockwave treatment with that of supervised exercises in patients with shoulder pain.


METHODS
Single blind randomised study.


METHODS
Outpatient clinic of physical medicine and rehabilitation department in Oslo, Norway.


METHODS
104 patients with subacromial shoulder pain lasting at least three months.


METHODS
Radial extracorporeal shockwave treatment: one session weekly for four to six weeks. Supervised exercises: two 45 minute sessions weekly for up to 12 weeks. Primary outcome measure Shoulder pain and disability index.


RESULTS
A treatment effect in favour of supervised exercises at 6, 12, and 18 weeks was found. The adjusted treatment effect was -8.4 (95% confidence interval -16.5 to -0.6) points. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the group treated with supervised exercises improved-odds ratio 3.2 (1.3 to 7.8). More patients in the shockwave treatment group had additional treatment between 12 and 18 weeks-odds ratio 5.5 (1.3 to 26.4).


CONCLUSIONS
Supervised exercises were more effective than radial extracorporeal shockwave treatment for short term improvement in patients with subacromial shoulder pain.


BACKGROUND
Clinical trials NCT00653081.
Engebretsen
Kaia
K
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ullevaal University Hospital, Kirkeveien 166, 0407 Oslo, Norway. kaiabe@medisin.uio.no
Grotle
Margreth
M
Bautz-Holter
Erik
E
Sandvik
Leiv
L
Juel
Niels G
NG
Ekeberg
Ole Marius
OM
Brox
Jens Ivar
JI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult