Spencer Technique is Effective for Improvement in Pain and Function, in Patients with Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: Shoulder is the most mobile and complex joint in the body, which makes it vulnerable to various pathological conditions. Frozen shoulder is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions characterised by persistent pain and stiffness around the shoulder joint, which significantly hampers the activities of daily living. To manage this condition, various joint mobilisations and stretching techniques are frequently used by physiotherapists as an intervention. Aim: The purpose of this article is to assess the effectiveness of Spencer technique as an adjuvant to conventional therapy for the improvement of patients with frozen shoulder. Materials and Methods: Five electronic data bases, (SCOPUS, DOAJ, Science Direct, Medline, PubMed) were searched. Prospective studies that measured the effect of Spencer technique for the shoulder pain specifically the frozen shoulder were included. The articles were reviewed and selected for inclusion by two authors independently. Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Results: Twelve studies were retrieved that met the inclusion criteria and nine studies including 311 participants presented data used in meta-analysis that included both males and females. Pain, and functional disability were the primary outcomes. Conclusion: The findings of this systemic review clearly suggest that the Spencer technique is effective for the treatment of Frozen shoulder. This treatment should be accompanied by conventional treatment to maximise the chance of recovery.