Effect of the Shoulder Symptom Modification Procedure on Pain and Kinesiophobia in Patients with Shoulder Pain: A Quasi-experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Shoulder pain, ranking third among musculoskeletal issues, hampers diagnostics due to test limitations. The present study explores the potential of the Shoulder Symptom Modification Procedure (SSMP) as an intervention. Influential factors in physiotherapy outcomes, including kinesiophobia, are linked to shoulder pain. A knowledge gap remains on the impact of SSMP on pain and kinesiophobia in individuals with shoulder pain, contributing insights to musculoskeletal interventions. Aim: To investigate the effect of SSMP on pain and kinesiophobia in patients with shoulder pain. Materials and Methods: A single-blinded quasi-experimental study was conducted in the Department of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy on 35 participants aged 40-60 years experiencing shoulder pain, recruited from R.V. College of Physiotherapy, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, over a six month period from February 2022 to July 2022. Pain was measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and kinesiophobia was measured with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK). The researcher, blinded to pre- and post-test results of TSK-11 and NPRS, conducted a shoulder symptom modification assessment. The procedure’s response-guided treatment was administered twice a week for three weeks, with each session lasting 30 minutes. Pre-assessment of TSK-11 and NPRS was performed by an assessor, with the same assessor re-evaluating outcomes after three weeks. Data underwent statistical analysis using a paired t-test in R Software version 4.1.0, with significance attributed to results having a p-value <0.05. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 52±7.74 years. There was a significant reduction in NPRS from 7.54±1.146 to 3.74±1.70 post-intervention and TSK-11 scores from 27.20±5.12 to 23.17±4.83 in subjects with shoulder pain after three weeks of intervention. The study showed a significant improvement in pain (p<0.001*) and kinesiophobia (p<0.001*) in patients with shoulder pain. Conclusion: The SSMP was found to be effective in reducing pain and kinesiophobia in patients with shoulder pain. Further research should be conducted in the future, taking large samples and varied techniques into account for the identification of optimal strategies in improving health-related outcomes.

Keywords

• biomechanics
• healthcare
• mobility
• musculoskeletal conditions
• physiotherapy