Table 6.

Comparison of muscle elasticity E measured by ultrasound elastography (mean ± SD).

	Group	N	Before treatment	1 week later	2 weeks later	3 weeks later
Supraspinatus muscle	PN	34	3.54 ± 0.37	3.11 ± 0.41	2.96 ± 0.34★	2.63 ± 0.39★▲
	SN	34	3.48 ± 0.38	3.21 ± 0.39	3.11 ± 0.42	3.05 ± 0.38
Infraspinatus muscle	PN	34	3.22 ± 0.34	2.97 ± 0.30	2.67 ± 0.35	2.31 ± 0.31★▲
	SN	34	3.25 ± 0.32	2.94 ± 0.35	2.85 ± 0.38	2.71 ± 0.34

Note: “★”: compared with the situation before treatment, P < 0.05. “▲”: compared with the control group, P < 0.05.