title: Eccentric versus conventional exercise therapy in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy: a randomized, single blinded, clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of isolated eccentric versus conventional exercise therapy in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy, diagnosed by an orthopaedic surgeon, were included and randomly allocated to an isolated eccentric exercise (EE) group (n = 20, mean age = 50.2 ± 10.8 years) or a conventional exercise (CG) group (n = 16, mean age = 48.6 ± 12.3 years). Both groups fulfilled a 12-week daily home-based exercise programme and received a total amount of nine treatment sessions. The Constant Murley score was used to evaluate both objective (e.g. range of motion and strength) and subjective measures (e.g. pain and activities of daily living). A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain during daily activities. As secondary outcomes, shoulder range of motion and isometric abduction strength in 45° in the scapular plane were evaluated. All measurements were taken at baseline, at 6, 12 and 26 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 26 weeks, both groups showed a significant increase in the Constant Murley score and a significant decrease in VAS scores. No difference was found between the groups, for any of the evaluated outcome measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 12-week-isolated eccentric training programme of the rotator cuff is beneficial for shoulder function and pain after 26 weeks in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy. However, it is no more beneficial than a conventional exercise programme for the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. Based on the results, clinicians should take into account that performing two eccentric exercises twice a day is as effective as performing six concentric/eccentric exercises once a day in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medical Center Papendal, Papendallaan 7, 6814 GN, Arnhem, The Netherlands. b.dejaco@smcp.nl.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3221-5551
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dejaco
authors.affiliation: Sports Medical Center Papendal, Papendallaan 7, 6814 GN, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Habets
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Wagnerlaan 55, 6815 AD, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Corné
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Loon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rijnstate Hospital, Wagnerlaan 55, 6815 AD, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Grinsven
authors.affiliation: Sports Medical Center Papendal, Papendallaan 7, 6814 GN, Arnhem, The Netherlands.|HAN University of Applied Sciences Research Group Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Cingel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Eccentric training; Exercise therapy; Resistance training; Rotator cuff tendinopathy, subacromial pain syndrome