Frozen Shoulder: When is injection and physiotherapy most effective?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Evaluation of Physiotherapy and Injection Therapy at Two Different Condition Stages of Frozen Shoulder
IRAS ID
151541
Contact name
Paul Hattam
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine
Research summary
The following study intends to evaluate the effectiveness of standard care (physiotherapy and a gleno-humeral joint cortico-steroid injection) in the early and mid condition stages of Frozen shoulder (1 and 2 respectively).
To the author’s knowledge, there are no published studies which have compared the efficacy of an injection and physiotherapy when administered at stage 1 as opposed to stage 2.
The lack of high quality research means that making decisions regarding the optimal timing of treatments is difficult. Determining the optimal timing of intervention will subsequently improve patient experience and outcomes, and encourage earlier recognition of the conditions and effective management.
The research question would be as follows:
In the management of frozen shoulder; do outcome measures differ when intervention of steroid injection and physiotherapy is undertaken in the early versus mid stages of the condition?Methods:
All study participants will be treated equally, with the same standard care treatment of injection therapy and exercises as recommended under current clinical guidelines.The study will be conducted over a six month period. Participants will receive 6 weeks of physiotherapy (at several intervals) following the injection. The participants will also be expected to comply with a home shoulder stretching programme for the duration of the 6 weeks.
The completion of 2 questionnaires will serve to collect individual participant data per-injection, and 6 weeks post-injection. Data collected will be numerical and statistically analysed for the ‘stage 1’ and ‘stage 2’ groups.
All participants will be selected using a strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Once a suitable study participant has been identified, they will be given an information sheet and asked to sign a consent form.
The study will be conducted in an English NHS Musculoskeletal physiotherapy-led injection service. Individuals are referred into this service by General Practitioners, Consultants and other Physiotherapists.REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
14/WS/1043
Date of REC Opinion
17 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion