Self-care effect in the medication and function of patients with shoulder pain indicated to physiotherapeutic treatment: randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Shoulder pain is among the three most common musculoskeletal complaints. This condition is characterized by restriction of movements, leading to difficulties in performing activities of daily. Considering its clinical importance, shoulder pain can affect social, economic and psychological issues, as influence at work, in the leisure and sport activities. Medication and physical therapy treatments for shoulder pain are usually performed in a supervised manner. In addition, the treatments involve costs to be implemented, they generally have delay, especially when the service is public. Guidance on exercises to be performed at home can complement the clinical treatment to advance in the treatment of shoulder disorders. Evidence suggests effective results in relieving chronic pain through self-care practice. Thus, this study aims to verify the benefits of self-care education on medication and function of participants with shoulder pain, indicated for physiotherapy who are on the waiting list for care. The study hypothesis is that patients show improvement in pain and shoulder function, while waiting for the conventional physiotherapy. Study participants will be randomly divided into two groups. The control group (CG) will receive guidance on posture and care of the shoulder and continue with their usual activities and the intervention group (IG) will participate of the self-care exercise program. This self-care exercise program consists of exercises for the upper limb in which delegates will need home alone after a teaching period with physiotherapists. Will be delivered to those participants an explanatory booklet of exercises, as well as a DVD with videos of the exercises. All participants will be assessed before and after the period of two months. Evaluation will be by means of shoulder range of motion, active functional test Apley, Quality of Life questionnaire SF-36, questionnaire of self-efficacy in chronic pain, pain and inability questionnaire SPADI, global improvement perception questionnaire and numerical pain scale.