The Effect of a Six-Week Home Exercise Program on Pain and Disability in UltrasoundDiagnosed Patients with Subacromial Subdeltoid Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background & Objectives: There is conflicting evidence regarding the effects of exercise on shoulder impingement syndrome. Exercise therapy is one of the methods used to reduce pain and increase muscle strength in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. There are several exercise therapy programs available in this area. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of exercise therapy on pain and disability in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. Materials & Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 25 patients with impingement syndrome from the Dastgheib Yasaei Pain Clinic in Fasa. Patients were randomized to receive medication (n=13) or medication plus exercise therapy (n=12). The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Verbal Numeric Rating Scale were used to measure disability and pain intensity before and after the intervention. Patient satisfaction was measured using the Likert scale. Independent and paired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-squared were performed at a significant level of P≤0.05. Analyses were performed with SPSS software (version 25.0). Results: There were no differences between groups in pre-intervention demographics (P>0.05), pain intensity (P=0.16), and ODI scores (0.93). Post-intervention pain and ODI scores were significantly higher in the medication group than in the medication-exercise group (P=0.06, P=0.03, respectively). There was a significant difference in pain and ODI scores at post-intervention compared to pre-intervention in both groups (P<0.001). The difference in pain intensity between pre- and post-intervention in both groups was also statistically significant (P=0.006). There was a significant difference in patient satisfaction between groups (P=0.03). Conclusion: These results suggest that a regular exercise program, along with medication, may be effective in reducing pain and disability in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.