The application of shock-waves therapy in the treatment of resistant chronic painful shoulder. A clinical experience

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwaves therapy (ESWT) in patients with chronic painful shoulder. METHODS: Experimental design: a prospective design was used with a short term follow-up. Setting: data were collected at the Service of Physioterapy in Villa Stuart Clinic-Rome. Patients: 72 patients of both sexes with an average age of 38 years (range 18 to 69) affected by chronic painful shoulder, whose symptoms lasted more than 6 months. Interventions: all patients received on average, 2,000 impulses of ESWT at level 5 energy (0.21 mJ/mm2) according to Dornier Epos equipment one session per week for 8 weeks. Measures: all cases underwent an instrumental examination with X-ray conventional imaging and clinical assessment of pain (visual analogue scale) and functional limitation of the shoulder, two weeks before the treatment and at one month follow-up. RESULTS: 53% of patient scored excellent results, 14% good, 13% fair and 20% poor. In the group of calcifying tendinitis we had a reduction in 37% and no changes in 63%. CONCLUSIONS: Even with a limited number of cases our early results show the efficacy and safety of ESWT in the treatment of chronic painful shoulder resistant to other conservative approaches.