OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the effects of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) and exercises in reducing pain and improving function and muscle strength in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS).
DESIGN:
Double-blind randomized clinical trial, with a 3 month post-treatment follow-up.
SETTING:
Outpatient Rehabilitation of a public hospital PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six patients between 40 and 60 years of age, with a diagnosis of SIS, were randomly assigned active PEMF (n = 26; mean age, 50.1 years) or placebo PEMF (n = 30; mean age, 50.8 years old).
INTERVENTIONS:
After 3 weeks of active or placebo PEMF, both groups performed the same program of exercises that focused on shoulder strengthening.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
A visual analogue scale (VAS), the University of California/Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale, the Constant-Murley shoulder score, and the hand-held dynamometry for muscle strength were used as outcome measures at baseline (pretreatment), at 3 weeks (post active or placebo PEMF), at 9 weeks (post-exercises), and at 3 months post-treatment.
RESULTS:
The patients in the active PEMF group had a higher level of function and less pain at all follow-up timeframes compared to baseline (P<.05). However, the placebo PEMF group had increased function and reduced pain only at 9 weeks and 3 months follow-ups (P<.05), i.e., after performing the associated to exercises. For the shoulder dynamometry, the active PEMF group had increased strength for lateral rotation at 9 weeks (P<.05) and medial rotation at 9 weeks and 3 months (both, P<.05) when compared to baseline. There was no difference for shoulder strength in the placebo PEMF group (P>.05), as well as the analysis between-groups (P>.05) for all outcome measures.
CONCLUSION:
The combination of PEMF and shoulder exercises is effective in improving function and muscle strength and decreasing pain in patients with SIS. However, these results should be carefully interpreted due to the lack of differences between groups.
Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Magnetic field therapy, PEMF, Pulsed electromagnetic field, SIS, Shoulder impingement syndrome, UCLA, University of California/Los Angeles, VAS, Visual analogue scale, and rotator cuff, diathermy, shoulder impingement syndrome

PMID: 24139986

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field and Exercises in Patients with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.