Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Article	Study design	Population	Intervention
Bennell et al35	Parallel group RCT	120 patients with RC disease	10 weeks G1: Soft tissue massage, glenohumeral joint mobilisation, thoracic mobilisation, cervical mobilisation, scapular retraining, postural taping and supervised exercises G2: Placebo
Cloke et al36	Parallel group RCT	112 patients with painful arc/subacromial impingement of less than 6 month’s duration	18 weeks G1: Subacromial corticosteroid injections G2: Specific exercise and manual therapy package G3: Subacromial corticosteroid injections and specific exercise and manual therapy package G4: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or simple analgesia
Dickens et al37	Parallel group RCT	73 patients listed for surgery for subacromial impingement syndrome	6 months G1: Mobilisation of the glenohumeral joint, acromioclavicular joint, thoracic mobilisation, cervical mobilisation and exercise therapy (including attention to muscle imbalance, postural advice, strapping and electrotherapy G2: No active intervention
Ginn and Cohen38	Parallel group RCT	138 patients with unilateral mechanical shoulder pain over 1 month’s duration	5 weeks G1: Exercise programme including shoulder muscle stretching, strengthening and motor retraining G2: Corticosteroid injection G3: Multiple physical modalities
Haahr et al39	Parallel group RCT	84 patients with shoulder pain, pain on abduction of the shoulder with a painful arch, a positive Hawkins sign and a positive impingement test	12 weeks G1: Physiotherapy (heat/cold packs, soft tissue treatments, active training of periscapular muscles and strengthening of stabilising muscles of the shoulder joint) G2: Arthroscopic subacromial decompression
Hay et al40	Parallel group RCT	207 patients who presented with a new episode of unilateral shoulder pain between June 1998 and March 2000	6 weeks G1: Subacromial corticosteroid injection G2: Physiotherapy package (advice and instruction on pain relief, active shoulder exercises reinforced by a home programme, ultrasound and/or manual therapy as indicated)
Kachingwe et al41	Parallel group RCT	33 patients with primary shoulder impingement	6 weeks G1: Supervised exercise only G2: Supervised exercise with glenohumeral mobilisations G3: Supervised exercise with a mobilisation-with-movement technique G4: Control group (physician advice only)
Rhon et al42	Parallel group RCT	104 patients aged 18–65 years with unilateral shoulder impingement syndrome	3 weeks G1: Manual physical therapy; joint and soft-tissue mobilisations, manual stretches, contract-relax techniques, and reinforcing exercises directed to the shoulder girdle or thoracic/cervical spine G2: Subacromial corticosteroid injection
Szczurko et al43	Parallel group RCT	85 Canadian postal workers with RC tendinitis	12 weeks G1: Naturopathic care (dietary advice, acupuncture, phlogenzym supplement) G2: Physical exercise (passive, active-assisted and active range of motion muscle strengthening) G3: Placebo
Winters et al44	Parallel group RCT	198 patients with shoulder complaints	11 weeks G1: Corticosteroid injection (glenohumeral joint capsule, subacromial space or acromioclavicular joint) G2: ‘Classic’ physiotherapy (such as exercise therapy, massage and physical applications) G3: Mobilisation and manipulation of the cervical spine, upper thoracic spine, upper ribs (on the segmental level), acromioclavicular joint and glenohumeral joint

RC, rotator cuff; RCT, randomised controlled trial.