The effects of isometric contraction handgrip exercise with non-painful side on pain score and shoulder range of motion in patients with chronic shoulder myalgia
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Isometric handgrip exercise with non-painful side has been found to increase pressure pain threshold in patients suffering chronic shoulder myalgia. However, no study has investigated the effects of the exercise on range of motion.
Objective: To study the immediate effects of isometric handgrip exercise on pain score and range of motion in patients with chronic shoulder myalgia.
Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design. Forty patients with chronic unilateral shoulder myalgia (mean age 57.75 years, range 30-75) completed 3-minute isometric handgrip exercise at 25% maximum voluntary contraction (MVIC) on the non-painful side. Before and immediately after the exercise, pain score and shoulder range of motion were measured when elevating the painful shoulder.
Results: Increased shoulder range of motion both at the onset of pain and at the pain limitation range were found after the isometric handgrip exercise on the non-painful side. The average ranges of motion at the onset of pain before and after exercise were 115.13 ± 25.67 and 125.63 ± 30.59 degrees, respectively (p = 0.001). The average ranges of motion at the pain limitation range before and after exercise were 154.68 ± 23.96 and 160.03 ± 19.04 degrees, respectively (p = 0.015). No significant changes in pain scores were found at both ranges (p = 0.853 and p = 0.393).
Conclusion: Isometric handgrip exercise at 25% MVIC for 3 minutes on the non-painful side of chronic shoulder myalgia patients could immediately improve range of motion on the painful shoulder.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Lucas J, van Doorn P, Hegedus E, Lewis J, van der Windt D. A systematic review of the global prevalence and incidence of shoulder pain. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2022; 23(1): 1073.
Le HV, Lee SJ, Nazarian A, Rodriguez EK. Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: review of pathophysiology and current clinical treatments. Shoulder Elbow 2017; 9(2): 75-84.
Wall BT, Dirks ML, Snijders T, Senden JM, Dolmans J, van Loon LJ. Substantial skeletal muscle loss occurs during only 5 days of disuse. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2014; 210(3): 600-11.
Dueñas L, Aguilar-Rodríguez M, Voogt L, Lluch E, Struyf F, Mertens MGCAM,et al. Specific versus non-specific exercises for chronic neck or shoulder pain: a systematic review. J Clin Med 2021;10(24):5946. doi: 10.3390/jcm10245946.
Gordon R, Bloxham S. A systematic review of the effects of exercise and physical activity on non-specific chronic low back pain. Healthcare (Basel) 2016; 4(2): 22.
Hanratty CE, Kerr DP, Wilson IM, et al. Physical therapists' perceptions and use of exercise in the management of subacromial shoulder impingement syndrome: focus group study. Phys Ther 2016; 96(9): 1354-63.
Naugle KM, Naugle KE, Fillingim RB, Riley JL. Isometric exercise as a test of pain modulation: effects of experimental pain test, psychological variables, and sex. Pain Med 2013; 15(4): 692-701.
Umeda M, Newcomb LW, Ellingson LD, Koltyn KF. Examination of the dose-response relationship between pain perception and blood pressure elevations induced by isometric exercise in men and women. Biol Psychol 2010; 85(1): 90-6.
Park G, Kim CW, Park SB, Kim MJ, Jang SH. Reliability and usefulness of the pressure pain threshold measurement in patients with myofascial pain. Ann Rehabil Med 2011; 35(3): 412-7.
Gajsar H, Titze C, Hasenbring MI, Vaegter HB. Isometric back exercise has different effect on pressure pain thresholds in healthy men and women. Pain Med 2017; 18(5): 917-23.
Vaegter HB, Lyng KD, Yttereng FW, Christensen MH, Sorensen MB, Graven-Nielsen T. Exercise-induced hypoalgesia after isometric wall squat exercise: a test-retest reliability study. Pain Med 2019; 20(1): 129-37.
Koltyn KF, Umeda M. Contralateral attenuation of pain after short-duration submaximal isometric exercise. J Pain 2007; 8(11): 887-92.
Jones MD, Taylor JL, Booth J, Barry BK. Exploring the mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia using somatosensory and laser evoked potentials. Front Physiol 2016; 7: 581.
Lannersten L, Kosek E. Dysfunction of endogenous pain inhibition during exercise with painful muscles in patients with shoulder myalgia and fibromyalgia. Pain 2010; 151(1): 77-86.
Staud R, Robinson ME, Price DD. Isometric exercise has opposite effects on central pain mechanisms in fibromyalgia patients compared to normal controls. Pain 2005; 118(1-2): 176-84.
Burrows NJ, Booth J, Sturnieks DL, Barry BK. Acute resistance exercise and pressure pain sensitivity in knee osteoarthritis: a randomised crossover trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2014; 22(3): 407-14.
Treede RD, Rief W, Barke A, Aziz Q, Bennett MI, Benoliel R, et al. Chronic pain as a symptom or a disease: the IASP Classification of Chronic Pain for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Pain 2019; 160(1): 19-27.
Itthipongsathorn N, Phonghanyudh T, Nitikornatiwat P. Prevalence of fibromyalgia at the physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinic in Phramongkutklao Hospital. J Thai Rehabil Med 2016; 26(1): 24-30.(in Thai)
Naugle KM, Naugle KE, Riley 3rd JL,. Reduced modulation of pain in older adults after isometric and aerobic exercise. J Pain 2016; 17(6): 719-28.
Hawker GA, Mian S, Kendzerska T, French M. Measures of adult pain: Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain), Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (NRS Pain), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS), Short Form-36 Bodily Pain Scale (SF-36 BPS), and Measure of Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2011; 63 Suppl 11: S240-52.
Xu ZY, Gao DF, Xu K, Zhou ZQ, Guo YK. The effect of posture on maximum grip strength measurements. J Clin Densitom 2021; 24(4): 638-44.
Reese NB, Bandy WD. Joint range of motion and muscle length testing. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company; 2002.
Portney LG, Watkins MP. Foundations of clinical research. Applications to practice. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall Health; 2000.
Rice D, Nijs J, Kosek E, Wideman T, Hasenbring MI, Koltyn K, et al. Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia in Pain-Free and Chronic Pain Populations: State of the Art and Future Directions. J Pain 2019; 20(11): 1249-66.
Vaegter HB, Jones MD. Exercise-induced hypoalgesia after acute and regular exercise: experimental and clinical manifestations and possible mechanisms in individuals with and without pain. Pain Rep 2020; 5(5): e823.
Bidari A, Ghavidel-Parsa B, Rajabi S, Sanaei O, Toutounchi M. The acute effect of maximal exercise on plasma beta-endorphin levels in fibromyalgia patients. Korean J Pain 2016; 29(4): 249-54.
Koltyn KF, Brellenthin AG, Cook DB, Sehgal N, Hillard C. Mechanisms of exercise-induced hypoalgesia. J Pain 2014; 15(12): 1294-304.
Crombie KM, Brellenthin AG, Hillard CJ, Koltyn KF. Endocannabinoid and opioid system interactions in exercise-induced hypoalgesia. Pain Med 2018; 19(1): 118-23.
Ring C, Edwards L, Kavussanu M. Effects of isometric exercise on pain are mediated by blood pressure. Biol Psychol 2008; 78(1): 123-8.
Colby L, Borstad J. Resistance exercise for impaired muscle performance. In: Kisner C, Colby LA, Borstad J, eds. Therapeutic exercise Foundations and techniques. 7th ed. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company; 2007: 166-245.