Single exercise into pain versus symptom modification mediated exercises in people with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

<ns3:p>Background Exercise is commonly prescribed for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two novel exercise regimes in the management of RCRSP. Methods Pragmatic randomized controlled equivalence trial with blinded assessors and intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. Sixty-six participants with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain were enrolled, with Group A (n = 35) receiving a single exercise for shoulder pain (SEiSP) and Group B (n = 31) following the shape-up-my-shoulder exercise program (SUMS). The primary outcomes were Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), global satisfaction, functional Ranges Of shoulder Motion (ROM) and transition rate to shoulder functional program. Results Pre-post-treatment comparisons revealed significant improvements in pain at rest, activity, night, maximum activity level, disability, and ROM (p < 0.0001) in both groups. The observed transition rate into the functional program (FP) was higher in the SUMS group than in the SEiSP group at the 5th week (35.48%, 0%) and the 8th week (100%, 77.14%). There were no significant inter-group differences in the pain or SPADI scores. Conclusion Both exercise interventions significantly improved the clinical outcomes after 12 weeks in patients with RCRSP. However, the transition rate to FP, that is, pain-free functional activity, was higher in the SUMS group. <ns3:bold>Registration Details:</ns3:bold> The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov <ns3:bold>.</ns3:bold> <ns3:bold>Date of registration:</ns3:bold> Met QC criteria 06/06/2022. Identification number: NCT05408949.</ns3:p>