Background and Aim: Rotator cuff tendon rupture is the most frequent cause of shoulder pain and disability, especially in middle and old age. Physiotherapy is known as non-surgical or conservative treatment for it. The goal of this research was to investigate the effect of physiotherapy treatment in full-thickness tear of Supraspinatus tendon on shoulder pain and shoulder active range of motion.

Materials and Methods: In this before and after clinical trial, 17 patients (5 men and 12 women) with average age of 54.35±7.13 years old whom had full-thickness tear of Supraspinatus tendon were treated within 30 physiotherapy clinical sessions. The physiotherapy protocol for patients was included of heat, ultrasound and electrical stimulations modules and exercise therapy program was consisted of three components of stretching, strengthening and endurance. Patients in the first, twentieth and at the end of the thirtieth session were evaluated for pain and range of motion. Pain variable by visual analogue scale and range of motion variable by goniometer were evaluated.

Results: Within subjects ANOVA (parametric) and Friedman (nonparametric) tests showed a significant difference in pain and range of motion between before and after physiotherapy (P <0.01).

Conclusions: This study showed that physiotherapy may reduce pain and improve range of motion of shoulder in surgery candidate patients with full-thickness tear of Supraspinatus tendon and decrease client needs to surgery. However, studies with longer follow-up are recommended to evaluate this outcome.

Keywords: Supraspinatus tendon tears, Physiotherapy, Pain, Range of motion, Visual analogue scale, Goniometer