Manual Therapy in Chronic Shoulder Pain Treatment

The Initial Effects on Pain, Pain Sensitivity, Range of Motion and Muscle Strength of an Anteroposterior Mobilization of the Glenohumeral Joint in Overhead Athletes With Chronic Shoulder Pain

Background: Passive oscillatory mobilizations are often employed by physiotherapists to reduce shoulder pain and increase function. However, there is little data about the neurophysiological effects of these mobilizations.

Objectives: To investigate the initial effects of an anteroposterior (AP) shoulder joint mobilization on measures of pain and function in overhead athletes with chronic shoulder pain.

Design: Double-blind, controlled, within-subjects repeated-measures design Method: Thirty-one overhead athletes with chronic shoulder pain participated. The effects of a 9-min, AP mobilization of the glenohumeral joint were compared with manual contact and no-contact interventions. Pressure pain threshold (PPT), range of movement (ROM), muscle strength, self-reported pain, and disability were measured immediately before and after each intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• History of chronic shoulder pain lasting ≥3 months.
• Play overhead sport regularly.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Had a non-musculoskeletal origin of shoulder pain.
• Previous surgery to the shoulder complex.
• Frozen shoulder.
• Any co-existing inflammatory, infectious or neurological condition.
• The patient from physiotherapy treatment.
• Any evidence of pain referred from the cervical spine to the shoulder