EFFECTS OF BREATHING EXERCISES ON PAIN AND FUNCTIONALITY IN ROTATOR CUFF TEARS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

Objective: Rotator cuff tears (RCT) were common shoulder injuries that caused pain, strength loss, and functional impairment. This study assessed the effectiveness of adding breathing exercises to conventional physiotherapy to alleviate pain and improve functionality in individuals with RCT. Method: In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 30 participants aged 30–55 with diagnosed RCT were allocated into two groups: the Conventional Group (CG), receiving standard physiotherapy, and the Breathing Exercise Group (BEG), receiving standard physiotherapy plus breathing exercises for six weeks. Outcome measures included pain intensity assessed by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRS), range of motion (ROM) measured with a goniometer, and shoulder functionality evaluated using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. Results: Baseline demographic and clinical parameters did not differ significantly between groups (p>0.05). Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in pain, ROM, and DASH scores post-treatment (p<0.05). However, BEG showed superior improvements in nearly all outcomes, with statistically significant differences in NRS-activity, DASH scores, and ROM (flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation) compared to CG (p<0.05). No significant difference was observed in shoulder extension ROM between the groups. Conclusion: The integration of breathing exercises into conventional physiotherapy significantly enhances pain relief and functional outcomes in individuals with RCT. These findings support the inclusion of breathing exercises as a complementary approach in conservative rehabilitation programs for rotator cuff injuries.

Keywords

• Breathing exercises
• Physiotherapy
• Rehabilitation
• Rotator cuff

ROTATOR CUFF YIRTIKLARINDA SOLUNUM EGZERSİZLERİNİN AĞRI VE FONKSİYONELLİK ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ: RANDOMİZE KONTROLLÜ ÇALIŞMA

Abstract

Amaç: Rotator cuff yırtıkları (RCY) omuzda ağrı, kuvvet kaybı ve fonksiyonel kısıtlılıklara neden olan yaygın yaralanmalar arasında yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada RCY'de ağrıyı azaltmak ve fonksiyonel yetenekleri geliştirmek amacıyla solunum egzersizlerinin konvansiyonel fizyoterapiyle kombinasyonunun etkinliğinin incelenmesi amaçlandı. Yöntem: Bu randomize ve tek kör çalışmada, 30-55 yaşları arasında RCY tanısı almış 30 birey yer aldı. Katılımcılar altı hafta boyunca rutin fizyoterapi uygulanan Konvansiyonel Grup (KG) ve aynı programa ek olarak solunum egzersizleri uygulanan Solunum Egzersizi Grubu’na (SEG) ayrıldı. Ağrı, Sayısal Ağrı Derecelendirme Ölçeği (NRS) ile ölçülürken; eklem hareket açıklığı (ROM) gonyometre ile, omuz fonksiyonelliği ise Kol, Omuz ve El Yetersizlik Anketi (DASH) ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Tedavi öncesi gruplar arasında demografik özellikler ve temel ölçümler açısından anlamlı bir fark bulunmadı (p>0.05). Tedavi sonrasında her iki grupta da tüm parametrelerde iyileşme gözlendi (p<0.05). SEG, NRS-aktivite, DASH skoru ve Eklem Hareket Açıklığı (fleksiyon, abdüksiyon, internal ve eksternal rotasyon) açısından KG’ ye kıyasla istatistiksel olarak daha etkiliydi (p<0.05). Bununla birlikte, omuz ekstansiyonu hareket açıklığı açısından gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark saptanmadı; her iki grubun tedavi sonrası değerleri benzer düzeyde kaldı (p>0.05). Sonuç: Solunum egzersizlerinin konvansiyonel fizyoterapiye eklenmesinin RCY tedavisinde ek faydalar sağladığı gözlendi. Bulgular, RCY tedavi protokollerine solunum egzersizlerinin dahil edilmesinin ağrı yönetimi ve fonksiyonel iyileşmeyi artırabileceğini gösterdi.

Keywords

• Solunum egzersizleri
• Fizyoterapi
• Rehabilitasyon
• Rotator cuff

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