Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of therapeutic exercise versus myofascial trigger point therapy in the treatment of shoulder tendinopathies: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Objective Shoulder pain, primarily due to rotator cuff tendinopathy, significantly impacts function and quality of life, with considerable socioeconomic implications. Physiotherapy myofascial trigger point therapy (MPT) is traditionally used, but therapeutic exercise (TE) has gained attention for its potential administrative and implementation benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TE compared with MPT in treating shoulder tendinopathies. Methods A single-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing TE and MPT. Outcome measures included pain intensity with the Numerical Rating Scale, pressure pain threshold (PPT) and range of motion (ROM), assessed before and after 10 treatment sessions. A total number of 72 participants (TE group n=36 age 49.22±15.29/MTP group n=36 age 49.03±19.12) participated in the study. Interventions Participants in both groups were evaluated before treatment and after 10 sessions. A total of 10 sessions were conducted over 5 weeks of intervention. Results Both interventions showed improvements in pain intensity and ROM, with no significant differences between the groups in most measures except PPT, where TE demonstrated a greater decrease in pressure-induced pain. Conclusion TE could serve as an alternative to manual therapy, offering cost–benefit advantages, especially in administration via telecare and group sessions, highlighting its broader application in physiotherapy.