title: Clinical outcomes of a scapular-focused treatment in patients with subacromial pain syndrome: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically review the literature on the clinical outcomes of scapular-focused treatments in participants with subacromial pain syndrome (SPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic literature review. Studies were appraised by two reviewers using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, and a best-evidence synthesis was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, Embase and Cinahl up to February 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trials evaluating the clinical outcomes of a physiotherapeutic scapular-focused treatment in participants with SPS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four studies were included describing various scapular-focused interventions, including scapular-focused exercise therapy, scapular mobilisation and scapular taping. All included studies had a PEDro score of 6 or higher, indicating low risk of bias. There was moderate evidence that scapular-focused treatment compared with other physiotherapeutic treatment is effective in improving scapular muscle strength in participants with SPS. Conflicting evidence was found for improvements in pain, function and clinical measures of scapular positioning. No evidence was found for improvements in shoulder range of motion or rotator cuff muscle strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is some support for the use of scapular-focused exercise therapy in patients with SPS. Owing to the low number of studies, no firm conclusions can be drawn. Therefore, more randomised controlled trials are needed to determine the clinical outcomes of scapular-focused exercise therapy, scapular mobilisation techniques and scapular taping in patients with SPS.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Science, Program in Clinical Health Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elja A E
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Reijneveld
authors.affiliation: MovAnt, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noten
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Michener
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cools
authors.affiliation: MovAnt, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Struyf
mesh_terms: D055052:Athletic Tape / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012540:Scapula / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Physiotherapy; Rehabilitation; Review; Scapula; Shoulder