title: The immediate effects of diacutaneous fibrolysis on pain and mobility in patients suffering from painful shoulder: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the immediate effects of diacutaneous fibrolysis on pain and mobility in patients suffering from painful shoulder, and to assess the ability of the placebo technique to blind participants to group allocation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind before-after randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two public centres of Primary Health Care of the Spanish National Health System.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients (29 women, 21 men) with a diagnosis of painful shoulder of subacromial origin were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups. The intervention group (N = 25) was actually treated with diacutaneous fibrolysis, while the placebo group (N = 25) was treated with placebo diacutaneous fibrolysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active range of motion (flexion, abduction, extension, external and internal rotation) and pain intensity in the hand-behind-back position were measured. Participants were also asked about their perception in terms of comfort of the technique and results obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between-groups differences were significant in flexion (mean 11.4 degrees; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.7-17.1), abduction (mean 7.2 degrees; 95% CI 2.0-12.5) and internal rotation movements (mean 3.1 cm; 95% CI 0.1-6.1). There were no significant differences between groups in pain intensity, extension or external rotation movements. The placebo technique showed its ability to blind participants to group allocation. None of the participants suffered any adverse effects from diacutaneous fibrolysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diacutaneous fibrolysis may be an effective and safe therapeutic option to improve active range of motion in patients suffering from painful shoulder.
authors.affiliation: Catalan Institute of Health and Physiotherapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Zaragoza. martinbarra@gmail.com
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Barra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Raya
mesh_terms: D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D057645:Deltoid Muscle / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012540:Scapula / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D013030:Spain