A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COURT-TYPE TRADITIONAL THAI MASSAGE VERSUS TOPICAL DICLOFENAC TO TREAT FROZEN SHOULDER

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the court-type traditional Thai massage (CTTM) in treating patients suffering from frozen shoulder in comparison with topical diclofenac (TD). A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Thai Traditional Medical Service Center, Sukhothai Thammatirat University, Nonthaburi province. The participants of idiopathic frozen shoulder were diagnosed by the orthopedic doctor. Sixty female patients aged were randomly assigned to receive CTTM (treatment group, n=30) and TD (control group, n=30). CTTM was performed for 12 sessions during a 1–6 week period, and followed up at week 8th, 10th. TD was administered 5 g three times a day for 6 weeks, and followed up at week 8th, 10th. The outcomes of this research were assessed by shoulder range of motion (SROM), pain intensity (by VAS), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), shoulder function assessment (by VAS) and quality of life (QoL). Descriptive statistics was used as percentage, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics was used by repeated ANOVA, Friedman test, paired t-test and student t-test. The results found that the comparison within the same group in both CTTM and TD groups showed the significant improvement of SROM (P<0.05) but the average values of SROM of CTTM group at week2 nd week4th and week6 th were significantly better than those of TD group (p<0.05). Both CTTM and TD groups showed the significant relief pain intensity at week2 nd week4th and week6 th (P<0.05), but VAS scores of CTTM group were significantly better than those of TD group. DASH and VAS (shoulder function assessment) score significantly decreased after treatment (p < 0.0001). In addition, the scores between CTTM and TD groups after treatment were not significantly different. The overall picture of quality scores indicated that both CTTM and TD showed significant improvement of QoL within the same group (P<0.05). In addition, the scores of QoL between CTTM and TD groups after treatment showed that CTTM group was significantly better than TD group. Both CTTM and TD were capable to heal frozen shoulder and demonstrated a positive effect but CTTM could cure frozen shoulder better than TD. The side effects of CTTM were not found.