Effect of interferential current stimulation in management of hemiplegic shoulder pain.
OBJECTIVE
To study the immediate effects of interferential current stimulation (IFC) on shoulder pain and pain-free passive range of motion (PROM) of the shoulder in people with hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP).


METHODS
Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
Institutional physical therapy clinic, neurologic rehabilitation center.


METHODS
A population-based sample of people with HSP (N=30) was recruited.


METHODS
Participants were divided into 2 groups--an IFC group and a placebo group--by using a match-paired method (age, sex, and Brunnstrom motor recovery stage). In the IFC group, participants received IFC for 20 minutes with an amplitude-modulated frequency at 100 Hz in vector mode. The current intensity was increased until the participants felt a strong tingling sensation.


METHODS
Pain intensity and pain-free PROM of the shoulder until the onset of pain were measured at baseline and immediately after treatment.


RESULTS
Participants reported a greater reduction in pain during the most painful movement after treatment with IFC than with placebo (P<.05). The IFC group showed a greater improvement in posttreatment pain-free PROM than the placebo group in shoulder flexion (P<.01), abduction (P<.01), internal rotation (P<.01), and external rotation (P<.01).


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence that IFC is effective for the relief of pain during movement and also increases the pain-free PROM of the shoulder in people with HSP.
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Duangporn
D
Suriya-amarit
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Chitanongk
C
Gaogasigam
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Akkradate
A
Siriphorn
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: Sujitra.B@Chula.ac.th.
Sujitra
S
Boonyong
D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012399:Rotation; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
Electrical stimulation; Interferential therapy; Rehabilitation; Shoulder pain; Stroke