Effects of High‐Energy Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Pain, Functional Disability, Quality of Life, and Ultrasonographic Changes in Patients with Calcified Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

Abstract

Objective. The current trial was designed to evaluate the effects of high-energy shockwave therapy on objective and subjective outcomes among participants with calcified rotator cuff tendinopathy. Methods. This parallel-group, randomized trial consists of 42 patients affected by calcific tendinopathies divided into two groups of 21 participants. Patients having calcified tendinopathy aged between 30 and 65 years with type A or B calcification were selected in the trial after signing the written consent form. Participants in the ESWT+RPT group received eight sessions of shockwaves, while the RPT group was treated by routine physical therapy. About 2000 shockwaves of 0.32 mJ/mm2, 120 Hz per treatment, were given as 12 sessions for the first six weeks (2 sessions/week). Pain intensity and shoulder functional ability, ultrasonographic changes, and quality of life were assessed with the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), Constant-Murley score (CMS), ultrasonography, and Western Ontario rotator cuff index (WORC). Results. There were significant differences regarding NPRS and CMS between the two groups, at baseline and 6th and 12th weeks after intervention ( p < 0.05 ). Within-group differences also showed statistically significant results after treatment (all p < 0.05 ). Significant results were seen in the WORC and ultrasonographic results pre- and posttreatment; more significant findings were found in the experimental group as compared to others. Conclusion. High-energy shockwave therapy has been proved to be effective and thus strongly recommended for the management of calcified rotator cuff tendinopathy, improving the pain, functionality, and quality of life of these participants and decreasing the size of calcified deposits. Shockwave therapy is proved to be superior to routine physiotherapy.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Pain: A Narrative Review

“…In a clinical trial of 42 patients with calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder, shock wave therapy was compared with the conservative treatment of physiotherapy. Greater benefit in terms of pain, function, quality of life and ultrasonography was reported in the shock wave group at 6 and 12 weeks after intervention [49]. For rotator cuff disease with or without calcification, a systematic review concluded that the wide clinical diversity and different treatment protocols precluded any potential benefit.…”

Effect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy for rotator cuff tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A total of 1131 patients with RCT were included in the 17 included studies [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. The research characteristics of each included study, encompassing the sample size in both the experimental and control groups, participant age, disease duration, type and dosage of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, intervention duration, as well as outcome evaluation indicators are presented in Table 1.…”

Systematic literature review to inform the EULAR recommendations for the use of imaging in crystal-induced arthropathies in clinical practice

“…42 studies assessed the value of imaging to monitor BCPD,132–174 presenting data on CR in 38 studies133 135–169 172 173 and on US in seven studies132–134 139 170 171 173 (online supplemental table 14, figure 3). Study design included 4 SLRs,139 164 172 173 26 RCTs on a variety of interventions, including, injection, aspiration, needling, extracorporeal shockwave therapy and systemic therapy,132 136 137 140–142 144–157 160 161 166 169–171 and 12 cohort studies 133–135 138 143 158 159 162 163 165 167 168.…”