Manual Therapy for the Treatment of Shoulder Pain for Overuse Syndrome Wheelchair Dependent Persons

Shoulder pain is a common, debilitating problem for persons with Spinal cord injuries (SCI). Shoulder pain affects approximately 40-50% of the total population of persons with paraplegia (those with SCI with full use of their upper extremities and no or limited use of their lower extremities). Among the etiologies of shoulder pain in persons with paraplegia, overuse syndrome is the most common. Shoulder overuse syndrome in a person with paraplegia is the result of high activity demands and high mechanical load on the upper extremity during activities such as wheelchair propulsion, transferring with the arms, and performing activities of daily living from a wheelchair height, resulting in increased overhead activity. The pain as a result of overuse syndrome can limit the patient's participation in occupational and physical therapy as well as limit performance of activities of daily living and participation in usual life activities. An alternative treatment for shoulder pain with evidence to support efficacy in the able bodied population is Manual Therapy (MT). Unfortunately, there have been no prior research studies published examining the therapeutic efficacy of MT for overuse injuries of the shoulder in patients with paraplegia. This study will determine if MT, is efficacious to reduce pain in this population. A total of 20 patients with paraplegia identified in the outpatient clinic at Craig Hospital with overuse syndrome of the shoulder will be enrolled in the study.