title: Self-managed loaded exercise versus usual physiotherapy treatment for rotator cuff tendinopathy: a pilot randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rotator cuff tendinopathy is a common source of shoulder pain characterised by persistent and/or recurrent problems for a proportion of sufferers. The aim of this study was to pilot the methods proposed to conduct a substantive study to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-managed loaded exercise programme versus usual physiotherapy treatment for rotator cuff tendinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-centre pragmatic unblinded parallel group pilot randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  One private physiotherapy clinic, northern England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four participants with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was a programme of self-managed loaded exercise. The control group received usual physiotherapy treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline assessment comprised the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and the Short-Form 36, repeated three months post randomisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recruitment target was met and the majority of participants (98%) were willing to be randomised. 100% retention was attained with all participants completing the SPADI at three months. Exercise adherence rates were excellent (90%). The mean change in SPADI score was -23.7 (95% CI -14.4 to -33.3) points for the self-managed exercise group and -19.0 (95% CI -6.0 to -31.9) points for the usual physiotherapy treatment group. The difference in three month SPADI scores was 0.1 (95% CI -16.6 to 16.9) points in favour of the usual physiotherapy treatment group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In keeping with previous research which indicates the need for further evaluation of self-managed loaded exercise for rotator cuff tendinopathy, these methods and the preliminary evaluation of outcome offer a foundation and stimulus to conduct a substantive study.
authors: School of Health & Related Research, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK. Electronic address: c.littlewood@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors: Chris
authors: C
authors: Littlewood
authors: Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: p.malliaras@qmul.ac.uk.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Malliaras
authors: Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research & Care (CLAHRC) for South Yorkshire, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, 11 Broomfield Road, Sheffield S10 2SE, UK. Electronic address: s.mawson@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors: Sue
authors: S
authors: Mawson
authors: Faculty of Health & Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield S10 2BP, UK. Electronic address: s.may@shu.ac.uk.
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: May
authors: School of Health & Related Research, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK. Electronic address: s.j.walters@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Walters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004739:England; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017006:Rotator Cuff; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*
keywords: Exercise; Quality of life; Randomised controlled trial; Rehabilitation; Rotator cuff tendinopathy