Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of patients with frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) in patients with frozen shoulder. PRISMA guidelines were adhered to, and a systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and PEDro databases (last update: September 4, 2023; search period: December 2022-September 2023). The inclusion criteria encompassed RCTs comparing HILT with other physical therapy interventions in frozen patients with frozen shoulders, with or without sham HILT, assessing pain intensity, shoulder ROM, and disability outcomes. The quality of the RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Five trials met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review and meta-analysis, which pooled results from the visual analog scale (VAS), goniometry, and the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI). Mean differences (MDs) for pain intensity and disability show a pooled effect in favor of HILT both for VAS (MD = - 2.23 cm, 95% CI: - 3.25, - 1.22) and SPADI (MD = - 10.1% (95% CI = - 16.5, - 3.7), changes that are statistical (p < 0.01) and clinical. The MD for flexion (MD = 9.0°; 95% CI: - 2.36°, 20.3°; p = 0.12), abduction (MD = 3.4°; 95% CI: - 6.9°, 13.7°; p = 0.51), and external rotation (MD = - 0.95°; 95% CI: - 5.36°, 3.5°; p = 0.67) does not show statistical and clinical differences between groups after treatment. PI and disability changes were graded as important due to their clinical and statistical results. HILT into a physical therapy plan reduce pain and disability, but it does not outperform conventional physical therapy in improving shoulder ROM. It is suggested that future RCTs compare the effects of HILT and LLLT to assess their possible differences in their analgesic effects.

Radiofrecuencia pulsada del nervio supraescapular en el tratamiento del hombro doloroso / Pulsed radiofrequency of the supraescapular nerve in the treatment of painful shoulder

El hombro doloroso no es diagnóstico específico, pues abarca disímiles diagnósticos cuyos límites son poco exactos y pueden solaparse. Es una patología de bastante frecuencia en la población en general. El tratamiento con radiofrecuencia pulsada se ha vuelto cada vez más popular en la terapia del hombro doloroso crónico, debido a su duradero efecto y a la ausencia de daños. Específicamente, la radiofrecuencia del nervio supraescapular se emplea en el tratamiento del hombro doloroso crónico para varias patologías. Este trabajo de fin de máster pretende abordar la importancia del uso de la radiofrecuencia pulsada del nervio supraescapular para tratamiento del hombro doloroso. Para ello se realizó una revisión sistemática, a partir de una selección crítica de la literatura científica sobre esta temática, disponible desde 2000 hasta la fecha, utilizando como fuentes bibliográficas las plataformas Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed y Scopus. Fueron examinados de manera crítica 47 trabajos, seleccionados después de filtrar los registros iniciales siguiendo los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Los estudios consultados demuestran la eficacia de la técnica en el tratamiento del dolor crónico de hombro, especialmente con la guía de la ecografía. Por lo general los estudios incluyen tres tipos de valoraciones: la valoración clínica del dolor, la valoración funcional, y la valoración de la respuesta al tratamiento. Se observan mejoras en cuanto al dolor, la flexión, abducción y rotación del hombro, las cuales se mantienen hasta los seis meses. Varios estudios combinan la técnica con otros tratamientos, lo que puede resultar prometedor para el futuro.(AU)

Shoulder pain is not a specific diagnosis, since it encompasses dissimilar diagnoses, whose limits are imprecise and may overlap. It is a fairly common pathology in the general population. Pulsed radiofrequency treatment has become increasingly popular in chronic painful shoulder therapy due to its long-lasting effect and absence of damage. Specifically, the radiofrequency of the suprascapular nerve is used in the treatment of chronic painful shoulder, for various pathologies. This Master’s Project aims to address the importance of the use of pulsed radiofrequency of the suprascapular nerve for the treatment of painful shoulder. For them, a systematic review was carried out, based on a critical selection of the scientific literature on this subject, available from 2000 to date, using the Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus platforms as bibliographic sources. Forty-seven works were critically examined, selected after filtering the initial records following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies consulted demonstrate the efficacy of the technique in the treatment of chronic shoulder pain, especially with ultrasound guidance. Studies generally include three types of assessments: clinical pain assessment, functional assessment, and treatment response assessment. Improvements in pain, flexion, abduction and rotation of the shoulder are observed, which are maintained up to six months. Several studies combine the technique with other treatments, which may be promising for the future. Among the main limitations to the use of the technique are that there are currently limited data on the use of pulsed radiofrequency for chronic pediatric pain, the feasibility of patient follow-up, and questions about the ideal parameters (time, voltage, frequency, pulse duration), to achieve the improvement of radiofrequency treatments.(AU)

Radiotherapy for calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, bursitis trochanterica, and painful shoulder syndrome - Early and late results of a prospective clinical quality assessment.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective clinical quality assessment was to evaluate the short-term and long-term efficacy of low dose radiotherapy (RT) for calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, painful bursitis trochanterica, and painful shoulder syndrome. METHODS: Between October 2011 and October 2013, patients with calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, painful bursitis trochanterica, and painful shoulder syndrome were recruited for this prospective clinical quality assessment. Single doses of 0.5-1.0 Gy and a total dose of 6.0 Gy per series were used. Pain was measured before and directly after RT (early response) with a visual analogue scale (VAS). Additionally, pain relief was measured with the four-scale pain score according to "von Pannewitz" (VPS) immediately at the end of RT and during follow-up. Within this context we defined a good response as complete pain relief and markedly improved. The assessment of the long-term efficacy was carried out by a telephone survey. RESULTS: 703 evaluable patients (461 female, 242 male) with a mean age of 63.2 years (28-96) were recruited for this prospective clinical quality assessment. In 254 patients RT was performed with the linear accelerator, 449 patients received orthovoltage radiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 33 months (3-60) 437 patients could be reached for evaluation of follow up results. The mean VAS value before treatment was 6.63 (1.9-10) and immediately on completion of RT 4.51 (0-10) (p < 0,001). Concerning the VPS immediately on completion of RT, a good response could be achieved in 264/703 patients (37.6%), and with the follow up in 255/437 patients (58.4%) (p < 0.001). Only in patients with gonarthrosis we could not observe a significantly improved long-term success in comparison to the results immediately after RT (30.2% versus 29.9%). CONCLUSION: Low dose RT is a very effective treatment for the management of calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, painful bursitis trochanterica, and painful shoulder syndrome. Due to the delayed onset of analgesic effects low dose RT results in a significantly improved long-term efficacy in comparison to the results immediately after RT particularly in patients with calcaneodynia, achillodynia, bursitis trochanterica, and shoulder syndrome.

Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Benign Painful Skeletal Disorders: The Typical Treatment for the Elderly Patient?

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the short-term and long-term efficacy of low-dose radiation therapy (RT) for calcaneodynia, achillodynia, painful gonarthrosis, and painful bursitis trochanterica in elderly patients aged ≥70 years. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between October 2011 and October 2013, patients aged ≥70 years with painful degenerative disorders of joints were recruited for a prospective trial. Single doses of 0.5 to 1.0 Gy and a total dose of 6.0 Gy per series were used. Pain was measured before and right after RT (early response) with a 10-point visual analogue scale. Additionally, pain relief was measured with the 4-point pain scale according to "von Pannewitz" immediately on completion of RT and during follow-up. We defined a good response as complete pain relief and markedly improved. RESULTS: A total of 166 evaluable patients with a mean age of 76.6 years (range, 70-90 years) with calcaneodynia (n=51), achillodynia (n=8), painful gonarthrosis (n=80), and painful bursitis trochanterica (n=27) were recruited. The mean visual analogue scale value before treatment was 6.38 and immediately upon completion of RT was 4.49 (P<.001). Concerning the von Pannewitz status immediately on completion of RT, 6 patients were free of pain, 56 were much improved, 47 reported slight improvement, and 57 experienced no change. After a median follow-up of 29 months, 109 patients could be reached for evaluation of follow-up results. Thirty-three patients were free of pain, 21 had marked improvement, 18 had some improvement, and 37 experienced no change. Therefore, a good response immediately on completion of RT could be achieved in 62 of 166 patients, and with the follow-up in 54 of 109 patients (P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose RT is a very effective treatment for the management of painful degenerative disorders of joints in the elderly. Low-dose RT offers a low-risk, genuinely conservative, noninvasive therapeutic alternative for elderly patients.

Use of X-rays to treat shoulder tendonitis/bursitis: a historical assessment.

This article assesses the therapeutic efficacy of ionizing radiation for the treatment of shoulder tendonitis/bursitis in the USA over the period of its use (human 1936-1961; veterinary 1954-1974). Results from ~3,500 human cases were reported in the clinical case studies over 30 articles, and indicated a high treatment efficacy (>90 %) for patients. Radiotherapy was effective with a single treatment. The duration of treatment effectiveness was prolonged, usually lasting until the duration of the follow-up period (i.e., 1-5 years). Therapeutic effectiveness was reduced for conditions characterized as chronic. Similar findings were reported with race horses in the veterinary literature. These historical findings are consistent with clinical studies over the past several decades in Germany, which have used more rigorous study designs and a broader range of clinical evaluation parameters. Radiotherapy treatment was widely used in the mid twentieth century in the USA, but was abandoned following the discovery of anti-inflammatory drugs and the fear of radiation-induced cancer. That X-ray treatment could be an effective means of treating shoulder tendonitis/bursitis, as a treatment option, and is essentially unknown by the current medical community. This paper is the first comprehensive synthesis of the historical use of X-rays to treat shoulder tendonitis/bursitis and its efficacy in the USA.

The Erlangen Dose Optimization Trial for radiotherapy of benign painful shoulder syndrome. Long-term results.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of pain reduction by two dose-fractionation schedules for radiotherapy of painful shoulder syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between February 2006 and February 2010, 312 evaluable patients were recruited for this prospective trial. All patients received low-dose orthovoltage radiotherapy. One course consisted of 6 fractions in 3 weeks. In the case of insufficient pain remission after 6 weeks, a second course was administered. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups to receive single doses of either 0.5 or 1.0 Gy. Endpoint was pain reduction. Pain was measured before radiotherapy, as well as immediately after (early response), 6 weeks after (delayed response) and approximately 3 years after (long-term response) completion of radiotherapy using a questionnaire-based visual analogue scale (VAS) and a comprehensive pain score (CPS). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 35 months (range 11-57). The overall early, delayed and long-term response rates for all patients were 83, 85 and 82 %, respectively. The mean VAS scores before treatment and those for early, delayed and long-term response in the 0.5- and 1.0-Gy groups were 56.8 ± 23.7 and 53.2 ± 21.8 (p = 0.16); 38.2 ± 36.1 and 34.0 ± 24.5 (p = 0.19); 33.0 ± 27.2 and 23.7 ± 22.7 (p = 0.04) and 27.9 ± 25.8 and 32.1 ± 26.9 (p = 0.25), respectively. The mean CPS values before treatment and those for early, delayed and long-term response were 9.7 ± 3.0 and 9.5 ± 2.7 (p = 0.31); 6.1 ± 3.6 and 5.4 ± 3.6 (p = 0.10); 5.3 ± 3.7 and 4.1 ± 3.7 (p = 0.05) and 4.0 ± 3.9 and 5.3 ± 4.4 (p = 0.05), respectively. No significant differences in the quality of the long-term response were found between the 0.5- and 1.0-Gy arms (p = 0.28). CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy is an effective treatment for the management of benign painful shoulder syndrome. For radiation protection reasons, the dose for a radiotherapy series should not exceed 3.0 Gy.

Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: therapeutic contribution of subacromial bursography.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the therapeutic value of subacromial bursography (with a steroid injection) in adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder inadequately improved by arthrographic glenohumeral distension with steroid injection. METHOD: Twenty cases of adhesive capsulitis documented by glenohumeral arthrography were studied prospectively. A steroid was injected during distension arthrography, which was followed by physical therapy. Subacromial bursography without steroid injection was done routinely for diagnostic purposes. Constant's simplified score and range of motion were determined in each patient at baseline and after one, three, six and 12 months. Patients who were inadequately improved after one to three months underwent repeat subacromial bursography with steroid injection, followed by physical therapy. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients, 13 were noticeably improved 1.7 months on average after the distension arthrography. Of the remaining seven patients, six were improved 0.7 months on average after the bursography with steroid injection. CONCLUSION: Glenohumeral distension arthrography with steroid injection followed by physical therapy is effective in expediting the spontaneously favorable outcome of adhesive capsulitis and also allows to confirm the diagnosis. However, the subacromial bursa is almost consistently involved. Subacromial bursography with steroid injection can be useful in cases that fail to respond to conventional therapy.

[Analgetic irradiation of degenerative-inflammatory skeletal diseases. Benefits and risks]. / Analgetische Bestrahlung degenerativentzündlicher Skeletterkrankungen. Nutzen und Risiko.

Between 1980 and 1991, ionizing radiation was applied for analgesic purposes to 181 patients (97 men, 84 women, mean age 54 [29-81] years) with degenerative-inflammatory skeletal disease. The long-term effects were evaluated by questionnaire. Radiation of 2.5 to 6.0 Gy achieved lasting pain relief in 21 of 30 patients (70%) with arthritis of the shoulder or humeroscapular periarthritis, 15 of 21 (71%) with arthritis of the hip, in 12 of 15 (80%) with heel spurs or Achilles tendon bursitis and 10 of 11 (91%) with epicondylitis. Pain relief lasted for longer than two years in 41 of the 77 patients (53%). There were no side effects at the stated dosage. According to dose measurements the theoretical risk of malignant tumour induction is 20-40/million radiated patients and thus four orders of magnitude below the spontaneous malignant tumour incidence rate. The genetic risk is even lower. Ionizing radiation of degenerative-inflammatory diseases is thus an effective form of treatment with few side effects.

[Problems and perspectives of radiotherapy of non-tumor diseases]. / Problemy i perspektivy luchevoi terapii neopukholevykh zabolevanii.

The experience of the world leading hospitals confirms the high efficacy and appropriateness of radiation therapy of nontumorous diseases. The authors consider the general principles of the organization of radiotherapeutic service, discuss reasons that have led to a decrease in the use of this method for therapy of nontumorous diseases in this country. They also emphasize the fact that radiation therapy must have its place among therapeutic modalities used for nontumorous diseases.

[Radiotherapy in degenerative-dystrophic and inflammatory diseases of the osteoarticular system]. / Luchevaia terapiia pri degenerativno-distroficheskikh i vospalitel'nykh zabolevanniakh kostno-sustavnoi sistemy.

Analysis of a 3-6-year follow-up of 565 patients with deforming arthrosis, spondylosis, osteochondrosis, spondylarthrosis and calcareous bursitis indicates the efficacy of the proposed standardized complex of topometric and roentgenotherapeutic methods. Medical and social rehabilitation was achieved in most of the patients. The quantitative assessment of the therapeutic results makes it possible to interpret them objectively and unambiguously.