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Subacromial impingement syndrome - What does this mean to and for the patient? A qualitative study

Subacromial impingement syndrome - What does this mean to and for the patient? A qualitative study Thumbnail


Abstract

Background
Structured exercise has been reported as the current treatment of choice for patients diagnosed with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). However, it has been suggested that this diagnostic term and the language used to explain this condition might negatively influence patient expectations and serve as a barrier to engagement with exercise, hence compromising clinical outcomes.

Aim
To explore how patients rationalise their shoulder pain following a diagnosis of SIS and how this understanding might impact on their perception of physiotherapy and engagement with exercise.

Design
A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and analysed using the Framework method.

Setting
One NHS Physiotherapy department in South Yorkshire, England.

Participants
Nine patients diagnosed with SIS were purposively sampled from those referred to the outpatient physiotherapy department by the orthopaedic team (consultant surgeons and registrars).

Results
Three main themes were generated: (1) The diagnostic experience, (2) Understanding of the problem, (3) Expectation of the treatment required; with one subtheme: (3b) Barriers to engagement with physiotherapy.

Conclusion
The findings from this study suggest that diagnosis of shoulder pain remains grounded in a biomedical model. Understanding and explaining pain using the subacromial impingement model seems acceptable to patients but might have significant implications for engagement with and success of physiotherapy. It is suggested that clinicians should be mindful of the terminology they use and consider its impact on the patient's treatment pathway with the aim of doing no harm with the language used.

Acceptance Date Oct 16, 2017
Publication Date Feb 1, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Musculoskeletal Science and Practice
Print ISSN 2468-7812
Publisher Elsevier
Pages 24-28
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2017.10.008
Keywords shoulder pain, expectations, diagnosis, qualitative study
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2017.10.008

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