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Project

Induce pain to relieve pain: The effect of "exercise into discomfort" on clinical outcomes and ultrasound imaging parameters in patients with subacromial shoulder pain.

The rotator cuff (RC) is a group of muscles and tendons that allows to move the shoulder, keeping the upper arm bone in the shoulder blade socket. An injury in the RC can cause swelling and irritation of these structures, making arm movements painful. This subacromial shoulder pain (SSP) can be caused by a combination of intrinsic factors (degeneration) and extrinsic factors (compression of the RC). Exercise therapy is the first choice of treatment in patients with SSP. However, it is not clear which parameters define the best exercises: e.g. the level of pain experienced by the patient during training. Our main hypothesis is that "exercising into discomfort" will give better results in terms of pain, functionality and quality of life. We therefore aim to identify the optimal dose of loading during exercise, steered by the patients' response. In this process, the Ultrasound (US) is a medical imaging modality that can give important information about tendon structural changes during treatment. This project will contribute to define: 1) the role of discomfort in exercise therapy for patients with SSP, 2) the relationship between tendon structural changes and pain, and 3) the optimal type of intervention that can improve changes in tendon structures visible by US. The final goal of this project is to develop the best evidence-based practice in the rehabilitation of SSP and to reduce its major socioeconomic burden.
Date:1 Nov 2020 →  Today
Keywords:REHABILITATION, KINESITHERAPY, PHYSIOTHERAPY, MUSCULO-SKELETAL SYSTEMS
Disciplines:Kinesitherapy, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation, Musculo-skeletal systems
Project type:Collaboration project