The Effect of Exercise Therapy on Shoulder Pain, Flexibility and Mobility in Patients withShoulder Overuse Syndrome in Comparison with Physiotherapy

Shoulder Overuse injuries can cause pain, limitation of shoulder motions and reducing soft tissue flexibility which affect upper extremity functions. Stretching and strengthening exercises, as an effective way, are recommended to improve pain, flexibility and mobility in shoulder Overuse syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of scapular stabilization exercises to improve pain, flexibility and mobility in patients with shoulder Overuse syndrome. A randomized clinical trial was designed in which 69 patients with shoulder Overuse syndrome were attended; they were randomly assigned into two groups of exercise therapy (ET; n=33) and physiotherapy (PT; n=35). All participants received 18 sessions of exercise therapy or conventional physiotherapy in the Sports Medicine Assessment Clinic; Hazrat Rasoul Akram Educational Hospital. Pain, shoulder’s range of abduction and external rotation and pectoralis minor length were evaluated. All measurements were done before and after intervention. Our findings indicate an increase in abduction (P=0.024) and external rotation (P=0.001) range and shoulder flexibility of the involved shoulder in both groups but significant difference was observed in exercise therapy group (Anthropometric Measurement P<0/0001, Measurement with Right Angle P=0.002). Pain reduction was shown in both groups and there was no significant differencebetween them. (P=0.576) Findings this study showed in pain reduction, increased of abduction and external rotation range and also improvement in flexibility of shoulder after 6-weeks involved of exercise therapy.