Are you searching for a specialist that treats shoulder impingement in Visalia or Hanford? You may not know, but our physical therapy care for shoulder impingement is some of the best you’ll find in the area.
Understanding rotator cuff problems and shoulder impingement is important, so we wrote this article below to help those in need.
Physical Therapy Is Just As Effective As Surgery In The Long Term For A Common Shoulder Condition
Most shoulder conditions—about 85%—involve the rotator cuff, which is a group of muscles and tendons that keeps the shoulder stable. Among these common shoulder conditions is shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS), in which rotator cuff tendons become compressed—or “impinged”—as they pass through a small bone on top off the shoulder blade called the acromion. Over time, this causes the tendons to become irritated and inflamed, and will lead to bothersome symptoms like swelling and tenderness, loss of strength, restricted movement, and pain.
SIS is most common in individuals that regularly perform lots of overhead activities like golfers, swimmers, and baseball and tennis players, as well as painters and construction workers. The condition can also result from an injury that compresses the structures of the shoulder—like a fall—or from frequently sleeping on your side. Sleeping in this position regularly can strain the shoulder and cause impingement over time.
SIS is closely related to rotator cuff tendinitis and subacromial pain, and in some cases, the terms may be used interchangeably. When any of these conditions develop, the best course of action is a comprehensive physical therapy program, which helps patients work through their pain to regain strength, flexibility, and physical function; however, many patients undergo a surgical procedure called arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) to treat their shoulder pain. An abundance of research has shown that this procedure does not lead to any significant benefits, but it remains one of the most frequently performed procedures in the world, and some professionals still advocate for it. Therefore, a study was conducted to compare the return-to-work rates for patients with subacromial pain who underwent different interventions.
More than 200 patients are monitored periodically for 5 years in this research study
A total of 210 patients with subacromial pain for more than 3 months were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: exercise therapy, diagnostic arthroscopy, or ASD.
Patients in the exercise therapy group underwent a supervised, individually designed physical therapy program that included daily home exercises and 15 visits to the physical therapy clinic. Patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy group underwent a “sham” procedure in which an examination of the shoulder was performed with a small camera inserted surgically, but no repairs were made to the shoulder. Patients in the ASD group were treated surgically with the ASD procedure, which involved the careful removal of some portions of bone and a structure called the bursa. Patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy and ASD groups also participated in a postoperative physical therapy program. All patients were assessed at the beginning of the study and then again 2 years and 5 years later.
Two years after the interventions, 78% of patients in the exercise group, 80% of patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy group, and 82% of patients in the ASD group were actively working.
Five years after the intervention, these figures were 66% for the exercise group, 69% for the diagnostic arthroscopy group, and 67% for the ASD group.
These results show that there were NOT significant differences between the three groups 2 years and 5 years after the intervention. Therefore, based on these findings, physical therapy can be considered just as effective as ASD for helping patients with subacromial pain recover and maintain their improvements in the long term.
Subacromial Impingement Pain Treatment is Something We Specialize In…
At Bacci & Glinn Physical Therapy, we frequently see patients with subacromial pain and related shoulder conditions and help them regain their abilities in a safe and cost-effective manner.
Therefore, if you’re currently dealing with any type of shoulder pain, we recommend giving us a call.
