Effectiveness of Pain Education in the Treatment of the Elderly With Subacromial Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial

Shoulder pain is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal complaints found in primary care, with subacromial impact syndrome being the most common. Aging is one of the risk factors for shoulder pain. While psychological factors, which include negative beliefs about pain, catastrophization, kinesiophobia and low self-efficacy, all are related to high levels of pain and disability in the shoulder, predisposing to failure in conservative treatment. Objectives: To verify the effectiveness of pain education added to other treatment modalities (manual therapy and exercises) in the outcomes of pain, functionality, depression, anxiety, stress, kinesiophobia, self-efficacy and strength. Methodology: Randomized controlled clinical trial, which will last for one month of intervention and follow-up for three months. Primary Outcomes: Shoulder Pain and Disability Index Questionnaire that evaluates (pain and disability), Pressure Algometer (pain to pressure) and Visual Analogue Scale (pain). Secondary outcomes: Questionnaire (DASS-21), which evaluates depression, anxiety and stress, Tampa Scale (kinesiophobia), Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale (Self-efficacy) and manual dynamometer that evaluates strength. 74 patients with a diagnosis of subacromial pain, of both sexes, aged between 65 and 85 years will be treated, who will be allocated into two groups: (37 patients for each group). Group A: Manual Therapy + Exercises, individual assistance, twice a week lasting 40 min. (20 min. For each therapy); Group B: Manual Therapy + Exercises + Pain Education, individual care, twice a week lasting 60 min. (20 min. For each therapy. Statistical analysis: The normality distribution will be through the Shapiro-Wilk test. For comparisons of means between and within the groups of outcomes, they will be used using the Generalized Estimation Equations and when necessary , multiple comparisons will be performed using the Bonferroni test, calculated for comparisons between the final and initial moments and initial follow-up in each group: difference in means, 95% confidence interval, effect size (d Cohen). statistical significance adopted will be 5% and the analyzes will be carried out in the statistical programs SPSS 22.0 and R 3.2.4.