Corticosteroid Injection and Physical Therapy Are Equally Effective for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Shoulder impingement syndrome encompasses several conditions that cause shoulder pain, including rotator cuff tendinitis and subacromial bursitis. Conservative treatments include corticosteroid injections and physical therapy. To compare the effectiveness of these interventions, investigators at a U.S. Army medical center conducted a randomized trial that involved 104 patients (age range, 18–65) with shoulder pain secondary to impingement syndrome (mean duration, 5–6 months). Patients received either 40-mg subacromial injections of triamcinolone acetonide (≤3 injections, given at least 1 month apart, during 1-year follow-up) or physical therapy (twice weekly during 3 weeks) plus home exercises. (The physical therapy intervention is describe…