Article

Subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS) is a painful condition
resulting from the entrapment of anatomical structures between the anteroinferior
corner of the acromion and the greater tuberosity of the humerus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of high-intensity
laser therapy (HILT) versus ultrasound (US) therapy in the treatment of SAIS.
DESIGN: The study was designed as a randomized clinical trial. SETTING: The study
was conducted in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Seventy patients with SAIS were
randomly assigned to a HILT group or a US therapy group. INTERVENTION: Study
participants received 10 treatment sessions of HILT or US therapy over a period
of 2 consecutive weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Outcome measures were the Constant-Murley
Scale (CMS), a visual analog scale (VAS), and the Simple Shoulder Test (SST).
RESULTS: For the 70 study participants (42 women and 28 men; mean [SD] age=54.1
years [9.0]; mean [SD] VAS score at baseline=6.4 [1.7]), there were no
between-group differences at baseline in VAS, CMS, and SST scores. At the end of
the 2-week intervention, participants in the HILT group showed a significantly
greater decrease in pain than participants in the US therapy group. Statistically
significant differences in change in pain, articular movement, functionality, and
muscle strength (force-generating capacity) (VAS, CMS, and SST scores) were
observed after 10 treatment sessions from the baseline for participants in the
HILT group compared with participants in the US therapy group. In particular,
only the difference in change of VAS score between groups (1.65 points) surpassed
the accepted minimal clinically important difference for this tool. LIMITATIONS:
This study was limited by sample size, lack of a control or placebo group, and
follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Participants diagnosed with SAIS showed greater
reduction in pain and improvement in articular movement functionality and muscle
strength of the affected shoulder after 10 treatment sessions of HILT than did
participants receiving US therapy over a period of 2 consecutive weeks.

Langue : ANGLAIS