RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prolotherapy is an effective treatment for pain due to ligament or tendon laxity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prolotherapy on the relief of shoulder pain. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients who complained of shoulder pain were investigated using a pain score system. Prolotherapy was performed using 15% dextrose to regions according to Hemwall's pattern. We recorded numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores just before prolotherapy and 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks later. RESULTS: For the 29 patients, prolotherapy proved to be effective and satisfactory in 83% (NRS; 7.2 +/- 0.8 before, 2.0 +/- 1.3 after prolotherapy). CONCLUSIONS: Prolotherapy with 15% dextrose resulted in a clinically significant improvement of shoulder pain due to ligamentopathy.