Subacromial impingement syndrome: a survey of Italian physiotherapists and orthopaedics on diagnostic strategies and management modalities.
Fabrizio Brindisino, Diego Ristori, Mariangela Lorusso and 6 others
PMID 32905154WHAT IT FOUND
Italian musculoskeletal physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons manage subacromial impingement differently.
Physiotherapists rely on history and physical exam, while surgeons lean on imaging and injections. Both agree exercise is the best conservative treatment, but disagree on its primary goal.
Key findings
01Physiotherapists prefer diagnosing subacromial impingement using patient history and physical examination, whereas orthopaedic surgeons prefer combining clinical examination with imaging.
02Both physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons identify therapeutic exercise as the preferred conservative treatment for improving function.
03Physiotherapists view the main goal of exercise as patient education and reassurance, while surgeons view it as pain reduction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample of orthopaedic surgeons was small and unrepresentative (4% of the registered population), limiting generalizability. The OMPT sample consisted of specialists in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, who may not represent the broader physiotherapy population in Italy. There were significant demographic differences between groups, including age, experience, and working setting, which may have influenced responses. Survey responses reflect self-reported opinions and do not necessarily correlate with actual clinical practice.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that one diagnostic or treatment approach is superior. This survey reports on the opinions and self-reported strategies of two specific professional groups in Italy, not on patient outcomes or the efficacy of these methods.