Effects of massage and acupuncture on the range of motion and daily living ability of patients with frozen shoulder complicated with cervical spondylosis

Am J Transl Res. 2021 Apr 15;13(4):2804-2812. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to study the effects of massage and acupuncture on patients with frozen shoulder complicated with cervical spondylosis through range of motion (ROM) and daily living ability.

Methods: A total of 164 patients with frozen shoulder treated in our hospital from June 2016 to April 2019 were recruited and divided into a control group and an observation group. There were 100 cases in the observation group, all of whom were treated with massage combined with acupuncture. Another 64 cases were enrolled in the control group, all of whom were treated with acupuncture alone. The recovery of myodynamia, rating scale of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), score of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA), ROM score, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), complication rate, total effective rate, and patient satisfaction were assessed.

Results: After treatment, patients in the observation group had better recovery of myodynamia than the control group. They also had lower VAS scores, higher life function score and total ASES scores, higher ASIA scores, higher ROM scores, lower VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression, lower complication rate, higher total effective rate, and higher patient satisfaction.

Conclusion: Massage combined with acupuncture can better improve the ROM of joints and daily living ability of patients with frozen shoulder complicated with cervical spondylosis.

Keywords: Massage; acupuncture; cervical spondylosis; frozen shoulder; range of motion.