Comparison of Spencer’s Met and Post-Facilitation Stretch in Patients With Adhesive Capsulitis

Background of the study: Adhesive capsulitis causes progressive shoulder pain, stiffness, and functional limitation, significantly impacting daily activities in middle-aged individuals. This study compared the effectiveness of Spencer's Muscle Energy Technique (MET) versus Post-Facilitation Stretch on pain, range of motion, and disability in adhesive capsulitis patients. Methodology: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at HBS General Hospital involving 38 participants with adhesive capsulitis. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups: Group A received Spencer's MET (n=19) and Group B received Post-Facilitation Stretch (n=19). Interventions were administered for 12 sessions over two weeks. Outcome measures included pain intensity, shoulder range of motion, and functional disability assessed daily during treatment, weekly throughout the intervention period, and at four-week follow-up. Data analysis employed repeated measures ANOVA for within-group comparisons and mixed-way ANOVA for between-group analysis. Results: Within-group analysis revealed significant improvements in range of motion for both groups (p<0.05). Between-group analysis showed non-significant differences for pain and range of motion immediately post-treatment (p>0.05). However, overall treatment effects demonstrated significant improvements in pain, range of motion, and disability for both interventions (p<0.001). Conclusion: Both Spencer's MET and Post-Facilitation Stretch effectively improved shoulder function in adhesive capsulitis, with Spencer's MET showing superior immediate pain reduction.