1Physiotherapy Department, Kigali Health Institute, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, P.O. Box 3286, Kigali, Rwanda,
2Laxmi Memorial College of Physiotherapy, AJ Towers, Balmatta, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Online published on 1 October, 2011.
To investigate the efficacy of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) movement patterns in improving functional independence in patients with Chronic Peri-Arthritis (PA) of the shoulder.
40 Patients diagnosed with PA of the shoulder were randomly and equally allocated (n=20) into a control (receiving conventional free exercises) and an experimental group (receiving PNF movement patterns).
Assessment was done to check functional independence both prior to and after the treatment programme. Descriptive statistics were used to enumerate the positive responses for each question on functional activities on the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) for each patient. Neer's Criteria was used to classify the patients into different groups based on their Constant's Shoulder Functional Score (CSFS).
There was improvement in the functional independence of participants in both groups based on t test results for both within the group and between groups. Though there was no significant change in both the groups post treatment scores, there were more participants from the experimental group who showed change in both Neer's criteria of CSFS and “Yes” responses to SST.
PNF movement patterns when included in the routine treatment of chronic PA of the shoulder may be as efficacious in increasing the function of the involved shoulder when compared with the treatment by conventional free exercises.
Peri-Arthritis Shoulder, Functional Activities, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), Conventional Free Exercises, Simple Shoulder Test, Constant Shoulder Functional Score
