Abstract comparing the efficacy of physical therapy modalities in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome

Subacromial impingement syndrome is jamming of the rotator cuff and subacromial bursa under the acromioclavicular joint, coracoacromial arc and anterior part of acromion. The aim of this study was to define and compare the efficacy of the physical therapy practices.Fourty patients with SSS diagnosis were included to the study, patients divided into two groups randomly. Short wave diatermy+ exercise treatment were applied to the first group and steroid iontophoresis+short wave diatermy+exercise to the second group. Special tests for shoulder, Constant-Murley Scoring and goniometric shoulder range of motion, Visual Analog Scale for pain, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index for pain and disability, Nottingam Health Profile (NHP) for disability, Short Form-36 for quality of life measurement were used before the treatment, immediately after 15 sessions of the treatment and 3 months after the treatment to comparing the efficacy of the therapy in two groups.When the NHP scores for pain and physical activity levels immediately after treatment compared between two groups, a statistically significant improvement has been observed in group 2 (p<0.05). When the Constant Murley pain values immediately after treatment compared between groups, a statistically significant improvement was found in group 2 (p<0.05). This differences wasn?t continue at the time of 3 months after treatment (p>0.05). However, the inter-group comparison did not reveal any statistically significant difference in the other parameters indicating improvement (p>0.05). When the post-treatment results of groups were compared with the pre-treatment results, there was observed statistically significant improvements to continued up to 3 month all of parameters in each of the two groups (p<0.016).As a result we found that both of the two treatments were effective in SSS. This effect was bigger in steroid iontophoresis group at the early period. According to the data obtained from the study, we thought that in addition to the conventional methods of physical therapy, the increasing use of iontophoresis application also can be used today and we considered that positive results can be obtained.