PNF Stretching Exercise Effectiveness on Pain and Functions Patients with Frozen Shoulder Syndrome

Background& Although the etiology of frozen shoulder syndrome (FSS) is unknown، several authors have proposed that impaired shoulder movements are related to shoulder capsule adhesions and soft tissues stiffness. The purpose of this research is toconduct a study of massage therapy and PNF stretching exercise effectivenesson the pain، function and range of motion (ROM) patients with FFS. The subjects of this research comprised 24 patients with FSS with an average age of 56. 24; they are divided in two experimental and control groups. Then the control group patients receive the physiotherapy and the experimental group receives the massage therapy and PNF stretching exerciseas well as physiotherapy program. Shoulder pain and disability، ROM and function by shoulder pain and disability index، goniometer، and shoulder functional level questionersare evaluated before and at the end of the sixweek treatment for assessing the effectiveness of the selective treatment programs (massage therapy and PNF stretching exercise). The pain and disability، however، decrease further in the selective treatment groups in comparison to physiotherapy group but research findings do not show significant difference between the two groups. About shoulder ROM، only theexternal rotation of the shoulder joints showed a significant difference between the two groups after treatment. The functional score of patients on the selective treatment group with physiotherapy group showed a significant difference. The findings of the current research show that massage therapy and PNF stretching exercise can help the physiotherapy programand the treatment of frozen shoulder syndrome in shoulder ROM which can hence help a better function.