Physiotherapy treatment of shoulder pain

INTERVENTION: A physiotherapy treatment program, comprising muscle stretches, joint mobilisation, postural taping, soft tissue massage and exercises. Both groups will attend for 10 treatment sessions over 10 weeks. The physiotherapy group will then continue with home exercises for a further 12 weeks while the placebo group will cease treatment. CONDITION: Chronic shoulder rotator cuff pathology PRIMARY OUTCOME: Shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) which is a self‐administered, shoulder‐specific questionnaire. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Health related quality of life Patient perceived global rating of change with treatment Shoulder strength. INCLUSION CRITERIA: i) diagnosis of chronic rotator cuff pathology as evident by symptoms and signs including pain on active abduction or external rotation and positive impingement test; ii) symptoms of pain in shoulder for >3 months; iii) average movement pain >3 on a 10cm visual analogue scale.