Several studies have shown that exercise programs including Thera-Band® resistance bands are effective at reducing the pain and dysfunction in patients with shoulder impingement. These patients often exhibit muscle imbalances of the scapular and rotator cuff muscles, leading to subacromial impingement. Overhead workers are particularly prone to shoulder impingement due to the demands of their job. Physical therapists in Brazil established a specific treatment program for 14 men in the school supply industry with chronic subacromial impingement syndrome averaging over 2 years duration of symptoms.

The 8-week program was performed and supervised by a physiotherapist in a treatment room at the work site twice a week. The patients were assessed for subjective pain and function before and after the program that include the following standardized sequence:

  1. Cryotherapy. Ice packs applied to anterior and posterior shoulder for 20 minutes
  2. Stretches. 3 sets of 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest between repetitions, performed on both shoulders for upper trapezius, posterior shoulder, and pectoralis minor (corner stretch)
  3. Thera-Band strengthening program: performed on both shoulders using progressive Thera-Band color-coded resistance bands .  Participants began with mild tension on the band and stretched to approximately one-third the original resting length with 1 minute rest between sets for 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Click here to see the shoulder impingement exercise protocol.
Week 1-2 Yellow Thera-Band band
Week 3-4 Red Thera-Band band
Week 5-8 Green Thera-Band band

Patients performed stretching and strengthening exercises on both shoulders since many impingement patients exhibit deficits on both shoulders. They were also given education about reducing loads on the shoulder, as well as the use of ice at home.

After the 2-month intervention, the patients significantly improved their subjective ratings of pain and disability. In addition, 50% of the patients were pain-free, despite an average 2 year length of symptoms. While this study is limited by the lack of a control group and small sample size, these results support the effectiveness of this specific program using Thera-Band resistance bands in workers with shoulder impingement.

In conclusion, the authors noted, “…this therapeutic intervention may be relatively easy to be performed in many industries and may be effective to reduce symptoms and ultimately decrease the amount of sick leave.”.

The Thera-Band Shoulder Rehab kit includes Thera-Band resistance tubing and illustrated exercise manual and DVD, as well as Biofreeze® topical analgesic for pain before and after a shoulder exercise program.

REFERENCE Camargo PR, et al. Effects of strengthening and stretching exercises applied during working hours on pain and physical impairment in workers with subacromial impingement syndrome. Physiother Theory Pract. 2009 Oct;25(7):463-75.

Visit the Thera-Band Academy Shoulder Impingement Resource Center here

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