Investigation effi̇cacy of pulsed electromagnetic fields therapy on rotator cuff tears

Chronic rotator cuff tear is one of the shoulder pain cause which occasionally seen in elderly ages as a result of subacromial impingement syndrome. It's an important cause of disability by the way of pain and pseudoparalisy related joint motion limitation. In conservative treatment, establishment of range of motion by controlling pain and increasing muscle strength is essential. In this trial, we aimed to investigate magnetotherapy that is one of the physical treatment agents used in treatment. This is a randomised, placebo controlled, single blind study. Fourty patients with RCS that diagnosed by physical treatment and MRG included to the study and divided into two groups randomly. Hotpack+TENS+US+PEMF were applied to the first group and hotpack+TENS+US+sham PEMF to the second group. Treatment long for 10 sessions, 5 days in a week. VAS, UCLA shoulder scale and SPADI were used before and immediately after 10 sessions to comparing the efficacy of the therapy in two groups. A statistically significant improvement has been observed in both groups in VAS, UCLA and SPADI scores immediately after treatment (p <0,005). But there is no statistically significant difference is observed in all scales compared between two groups (p>0.05). As a result we found that physical treatment agents are effective in RCS related pain and functional limitations at the early period, but addition of PEMF to the conventional physical therapy does not give additional benefits. For these intervention, further investigation will be necessary to define place and optimum dose in the management of RCS.