Comparing the Effects of SUREE Programs on People With Scapular Downward Rotation Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

CONTEXT

Scapular downward rotation syndrome (SDRS) is an impaired alignment that causes shoulder and neck pain. Interventions may lead to the reduction of pain intensity and joint position error (JPE) and improved range of motion (ROM).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of 6-week Scapular Upward Rotation and Elevation Exercises (SUREE) with and without visual feedback on pain, ROM, and JPE in people with SDRS.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized control trial.

SETTING

Institutional practice.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-two young and active subjects (22.61 [1.80] y; 27 males and 15 females) with unilateral SDRS randomly assigned into 3 groups (2 intervention groups and 1 control group).

INTERVENTIONS

SUREE without and with visual feedback programs.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Pain, neck-flexion and rotation ROMs, and JPE were measured using visual analog scale (score), double inclinometer method, universal goniometer method (degrees), and a dual digital inclinometer (degrees), respectively, before and after interventions.

RESULTS

The results showed statistically significant changes within the experimental groups in all variables except for the neck rotation ROM in the SUREE intervention without visual feedback (P < .05). However, there were no changes in the control group before and after the interventions in all dependent variables (P < .05). Also, there were no significant differences between both experimental groups concerning all dependent variables except for the rotation ROM (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the 6-week SUREE with and without visual feedback programs result in decreased neck pain and improved flexion ROM and JPE during active neck motions in subjects with unilateral SDRS. However, the 6-week SUREE with visual feedback may improve the neck rotation ROM in subjects with unilateral SDRS. However, further studies are needed to confirm the results of this study.