Usefulness of manual therapy in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic rotator cuff injuries. Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND Various manual therapy procedures are increasingly more often being used in the treatment of shoulder complex dysfunctions. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether manual therapy can improve the range of motion in the glenohumeral joint and alleviate pain in patients with chronic rotator cuff injuries MATERIAL AND METHODS The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group of 15 patients each. Both groups received a standard combination therapy involving TENS, ultrasound therapy and kinesiotherapy. Additionally, the experimental group took part in a treatment programme designed by the authors composed of selected elements of various manual therapy techniques. Outcome evaluation focused on changes in the range of motion in the glenohumeral joint and changes in pain intensity (VAS scale) during the performance of functional tests. The results were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS More rapid and more significant pain reduction and more significant improvement in the range of motion of the glenohumeral joint across all movements tested were obtained in the experimental group. CONCLUSION The inclusion of manual therapy in standard comprehensive physiotherapy applied in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic rotator cuff injuries of the glenohumeral joint significantly improves treatment effectiveness.