Background .

Objectives A prospective, randomized and single-blind study has been performed in order to compare the efficiency of ultrasound treatment of various durations as applied to patients with subacromial impingement syndrome.

Methods Forty patients, diagnosed with subacromial impingement syndrome, clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging participated in this study. Patients were divided into two randomized groups of twenty patients. The first group was applied 15 session therapeutic ultrasound (1.5 watts / cm ², 1 mHz frequency, 8 minutes), superficial heat (infrared) and transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) therapy combined with exercise; the second group was applied 15 session therapeutic ultrasound (1.5 watts / cm ², 1 mHz frequency, 4 minutes), superficial heat (infrared) and transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) therapy combined with exercise. The patients were evaluated before the treatment and after the treatment. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used for pain, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Constant Scale for shoulder function, Beck Depression İnventory (BDI) for depression level.

Results There was no statistically significant difference between age, beginning time of pain, sex, education and depression level (p>0,05) before the treatment. Post-treatment evaluation of patients with intra-group VAS, UCLA, Constant, and BDI scores was statistically significant improvement (p<0.001). When the two groups were compared after two weeks treatment, there was no statistically difference between VAS, UCLA, Constant and BDI scores (p>0,05).

Conclusions Ultrasound therapy in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome; pain, activities of daily living, active range of motion was found to have beneficial effects. But in our study, the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome a 4-minute ultrasound treatment and of an 8-minute advantage to each other could not be detected.

References  

Acknowledgements .

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared