Abstract Background: Partial tears of the supraspinatus tendon are a common cause of shoulder pain and functional impairment. This randomised controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections combined with an exercise programme versus an exercise programme alone in managing partial supraspinatus tears. Methodology: This open-label, parallel-group study was conducted in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at AIIMS, Rishikesh. A total of 60 participants aged 18–65 years with clinically and radiologically confirmed supraspinatus tears were randomised into two groups: Group A received PRP injections with a structured exercise programme, while Group B followed the exercise programme alone. Outcome measures included pain reduction (Numeric Rating Scale NRS), functional improvement (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index SPADI) and radiological healing (ultrasonographic tear thickness). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 1 month and 3 months. The analysis included parametric tests such as repeated measures ANOVA, along with logistic regression to calculate odds ratios and the number needed to treat (NNT). Results: Both the groups demonstrated improvements over time in NRS, SPADI and tear thickness, with Group A showing significantly greater benefits. At 3 months, the mean NRS scores decreased to 1.75 ± 1.37 in Group A versus 3.95 ± 2.66 in Group B ( P = 0.003), while SPADI scores reduced to 9.95 ± 9.44 in Group A compared to 25.90 ± 31.44 in Group B ( P 50% improvement (odds ratio = 3.76, NNT = 3.33). Conclusion: PRP injections combined with an exercise programme offer superior pain relief, functional recovery and radiological healing compared to exercise alone in the management of partial supraspinatus tears. These findings highlight the potential of PRP as an effective adjunctive therapy.
Ashwin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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