Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2012 , Vol 58 , Num 4

Suprascapular Nerve Block and Glenohumeral Injection in Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain: To Compare the Effectiveness on Pain and Disability

Alev Gürgan 1 ,Ayşegül Tubay 2 ,Serpil Bal 3 ,Korhab Barış Bayram 4 ,Hikmet Koçyiğit 5
1 Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, İzmir
2 Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi 2. Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, İzmir, Türkiye
3 Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi 2. Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, İzmir, Türkiye
4 Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, İzmir, Turkey
5 İzmir Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, İzmir, Türkiye
DOI : 10.4274/tftr.54771

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of glenohumeral (GH) joint injection and suprascapular nerve block (SNB) in patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.

 

Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with shoulder pain lasting for at least 3 months were randomized into two groups in which SNB was applied in the first and GH joint steroid injection in the second group. All patients were evaluated before treatment, after 30 minutes, second week and third month after the treatment. Pain at rest, with motion and nocturnal pain were determined by the visual analogue scale. Shoulder joint range of motion was recorded for all patients. Disability status was assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM).

 

Results: There was a significant decrease in VAS scores for pain at rest, night and activity immediately after, at the second week and at the third month after the treatment in both groups. Change scores were similar in both groups.

 

Conclusion: Although, both GH joint injection and SNB reduced pain and improved functional status at upto 3 months, there was no superiority of the one over the other. 

Keywords : Glenohumeral injection; hemiplegia; shoulder pain; suprascapular nerve block