Comparison of different electrotherapy methods and exercise therapy in shoulder impingement syndrome: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess and compare the effects of different electrotherapy methods and exercise therapy on pain, function and quality of life in shoulder impingement syndrome.MethodsEighty-three patients (66 females, 17 males; mean age: 48.2 ± 7.33 years) with shoulder impingement syndrome were selected and 79 of them were randomly allocated into four groups. Group 1 (n = 19, mean age: 47.89 ± 7.12 years) was given hot pack and exercises, Group 2 (n = 20, mean age: 47.70 ± 6.51 years) was given hot packs, exercises and interferential current, Group 3 (n = 20, mean age: 48.50 ± 8.34 years) was given hot packs, exercises and TENS and Group 4 (n = 20, mean age: 48.55 ± 7.89 years) was given hot packs, exercises and ultrasound three times a week for four weeks. Assessments were made before treatment, right after it and three months after that using the visual analog scale (VAS), Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) outcome measures.ResultsAt the fourth week and third month assessments, all groups showed significant improvements in terms of pain, DASH and SF-36 physical component scores (p < 0.05). In intragroup comparisons, a significant difference between pre- and post-treatment results was found only in SF-36 mental component scores of Group 2. No significant difference was observed between the groups in any stage of the study period (p > 0.05).ConclusionApplication of ultrasound, interferential current and TENS in addition to exercise therapy in shoulder impingement syndrome treatment had similar improvements in terms of pain, function and physical component of quality of life. However, interferential current treatment showed significantly better outcomes for the mental component of quality of life.Level of evidenceLevel I, Therapeutic study.

Effect of Tetrapolar Interferential Current on Primary Dysmenorrhea Associated with Low Back Pain: Randomized Clinical Trial

“…Thus, the primary dysmenorrhea is a health problem that deserves attention and seeks non-medicated ways of therapy, such as the use of physical therapy modalities, such as exercises, heat and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of low frequency 18 . But, a widely used analgesic modality in the physiotherapeutic field is the currents of medium frequency, in the CIV stands out, with interesting results not only in cases of pain, but also with functional improvements and quality of life, when used in isolation [19][20][21][22] or associated to ultrasound 23 .…”

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Investigating the Pain-Relieving Effect of Interferential Current on Musculoskeletal Pain

“…The analyzed trials demonstrated major differences in treatment duration, IFC parameters (classical patterns vs. premodulated patterns), pain measure (VAS and NRS), and study population (shoulder pain, neck pain, acute disk, plantar fasciitis, and chronic LBP). Another important difference was evident regarding the type and number of cointerventions, which ranged from exercise 48,57 to exercise, modalities, and medications 11,61 . These differences might contribute to the observed insignificant results and raise caution when considering the results.…”

Effects of Adding Interferential Therapy Electro-Massage to Usual Care after Surgery in Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…On the contrary, it has been demonstrated that the combination of IFT with shoulder exercises [55], ultrasound, thermotherapy, and stretching [56] is effective in the management of frozen shoulders. Likewise, the use of IFT alone has shown to be clinically effective to relieve pain during movement and to increase pain-free passive shoulder mobility in hemiplegic shoulder pain [57] and, when combined with exercise therapy, seems to improve pain, function, and quality of life in individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome [58]. In the latter study, the effect of combining IFT with exercise therapy was; however, similar to that of including ultrasound or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation instead, in the intervention protocol [58].…”

“…Likewise, the use of IFT alone has shown to be clinically effective to relieve pain during movement and to increase pain-free passive shoulder mobility in hemiplegic shoulder pain [57] and, when combined with exercise therapy, seems to improve pain, function, and quality of life in individuals with shoulder impingement syndrome [58]. In the latter study, the effect of combining IFT with exercise therapy was; however, similar to that of including ultrasound or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation instead, in the intervention protocol [58]. Indeed, IFT seems to be a potential, although modest, effective supplement to other interventions to decrease pain, compared to control or placebo treatments, in musculoskeletal pain disorders [27].…”

“…Second, the use of electrotherapy may evoke a long sustained placebo-induced pain relief effect [61]. In this sense, most of the previous studies investigating the role of IFT on shoulder pain have not included sham IFT as a control intervention [54,55,56,58]. Third, the clinical context and the social connection between patient and therapist seem to modulate the effect of IFT [62,63], although these aspects have been scarcely controlled in the existing literature.…”