Article Text
Exercise medicine highlights from the BMJ
Republished research: Effect of specific exercise strategy on need for surgery in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: randomised controlled study
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▸ This article is an abridged version of a paper that was published on bmj.com. Cite this article as: BMJ 2012;344:e787
Abstract
Study question
Can a specific exercise strategy improve shoulder function and pain in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, thereby decreasing the need for arthroscopic subacromial decompression?
Summary answer
Compared with a control exercise group, patients in the specific exercise group had significantly greater improvements in shoulder function and pain and fewer patients needed surgery at the three month assessment.
What is known and what this paper adds
Different exercise programmes are used as first line treatment in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, but conclusive evidence to support the efficacy for these programmes is lacking. This …