Effectiveness of Therapeutical Interventions on the Scapulothoracic Complex in the Management of Patients with Subacromial Impingement and Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review

Shoulder pain is one the most common musculoskeletal complaints. The most common pathological causes of shoulder pain in the general population are subacromial impingement syndrome and adhesive capsulitis, commonly referred to as “frozen shoulder”. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of the scapulo-thoracic complex, particularly in scapular kinematic functions, in rehabilitative interventions for shoulder pain in patients suffering from these two common conditions. This systematic review was performed using the scientific search engines PubMed, PEDro and Cochrane Library, considering only randomized controlled clinical trials. Selected articles were evaluated according to the level of evidence and methodological quality. Thirteen randomized clinical trials were selected. Interventions have been divided into three macro-categories: (1) manual therapy in patients with subacromial impingement, (2) therapeutic exercise programs including interventions on the scapulothoracic complex in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome, and (3) therapeutic exercise programs including interventions on the scapulothoracic complex in patients with frozen shoulder. Following this, a qualitative analysis was performed according to outcomes such as pain, shoulder function, and scapular kinematics. Physiotherapy exercise programs that included scapular motor control training and scapular mobilizations, in particular, those of the scapulo-thoracic complex in scapular kinematic function, represent valid alternatives in the management of patients with subacromial impingement syndrome.