Filip Struyf

University of Antwerp | UA · Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy

Background: Usually, patients with hand, wrist/forearm disorders report musculoskeletal complaints in the shoulder. Although, role of scapula is fundamental for movement and functional stability across the upper limb kinetic chain; however, there are no systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have analyzed the effect of scapular exercises in thes...

Introduction: Frozen shoulder (FS) is a musculoskeletal disorder affecting the glenohumeral joint. This condition leads to disability and a worsening in quality of life. Despite its considerable impact on patients and its economic burden, research on the psychological and social implications of FS-as well as patients' perspectives and needs-is lim...

To view the online publication, please click here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fresc.2024.1498263

Purpose Exercise therapy is the first-line treatment in rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP), and diverse types of exercise seem effective. However, it is not still clear if painful exercise should be allowed or avoided during exercises. The objective of this study was to investigate if exercise into pain is more effective than no pain in RCR...

Aim To synthesize the evidence considering effects of pre-operative patient expectations on the post-operative outcomes in patients with total shoulder arthroplasty. Methods PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched for relevant studies. Studies before 2000 were excluded. Studies examining effects of pre-operative patient expectations on p...

Background Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears can cause significant shoulder pain and disability. Treatment options include physiotherapy or surgery, with a lack of research comparing treatment options. For physiotherapy there is uncertainty about which patients will have a successful or unsuccessful response to treatment and a lack of consensu...

Objective Physiotherapists (PTs) play a crucial role in managing individuals with Frozen Shoulder (FS), frequently being the first healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of this condition. Aim This study aimed to compare the beliefs, expectations, and perspectives of individuals with FS with the knowledge, skills, and strategies of PTs...

Objective There is no established consensus for screening the spine in patients with shoulder pain. The aim of this study was to explore the role of the spine in shoulder pain and generate a set of recommendations for assessing the potential involvement of the spine in patients with shoulder pain. Methods A modified Delphi study was conducted thro...

OBJECTIVE: To explore modifiable psychosocial factors, sleep-related variables, indices of central pain processing and patients’ characteristics as potential prognostic factors for pain, shoulder function, and Quality of Life (QoL) one-year after rotator cuff repair. DESIGN: This observational longitudinal study included 142 patients who were under...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rotator cuff tears are commonly addressed through arthroscopic surgical intervention and postoperative rehabilitation exercises. The addition of postoperative Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFRT) in patients with arthroscopic rotator cuff repair has not been described in the literature. The purpose of this case report was t...

BACKGROUND: the pathogenesis of frozen shoulder (FS) is thought to be one of inflammation and fibrosis possibly influenced by hyperglycemia. Biomechanical changes of the shoulder joint in terms of muscle strength, scapular kinematics and proprioception might occur in FS. OBJECTIVES: to compare muscle strength, scapular kinematics, proprioception, a...

BACKGROUND There is an increasing need for evidence based post-operative rehabilitation strategies to optimize patient outcome. Knowledge of potential prognostic factors could steer the development of screening and rehabilitation protocols and could result in better treatment outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. OBJECTIVE Therefore, the prima...

Background There is an increasing need for evidence-based postoperative rehabilitation strategies to optimize patient outcome. Knowledge of potential prognostic factors could steer the development of rehabilitation protocols and could result in better treatment outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. Objective This study aimed to investigate whi...

Background and Purpose: Frozen shoulder (FS) is defined as a condition characterised by functional restriction and daily and nightly pain. As in other shoulder pathologies, the manifestation of psychological factors is recognised in FS; however, from a psychological point of view, only few studies have reported its prognostic value. The aim of this...

Objectives This study evaluated the feasibility of exercising into pain in rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP), data collection procedures, feedback from physiotherapists and patients, and clinically important changes in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Design Unblinded non-randomised single-group study. Setting Physiotherapy cli...

Background Altered central pain processing (CPP) and dysautonomia might play a role in the clinical course of frozen shoulder and psychological factors, like pain catastrophizing and hypervigilance, might influence clinical variables in frozen shoulder. Objectives To explore the clinical course of frozen shoulder regarding CPP, dysautonomia, pain c...

Purpose: this systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness of electrophysical agents in improving pain, function, disability, range of motion, quality of life, perceived stiffness, and time to recovery in subjects with frozen shoulder (FS). Methods: A thorough search of MEDLINE, cochrane library, PeDro, and EMBASE yielded...

Introduction: The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the influence of dietary strategies, exercise, and sleep disorders on the symptomatology of patients with chronic shoulder pain, as well as to assess the methodological quality of the literature collected. Methods: The selection criteria were as...

Background: Contradictory evidence exists regarding the clinical course of frozen shoulder (FS). Objectives: To explore the clinical course of FS regarding disabilities, pain, range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, scapular upward rotation, and proprioception and to establish longitudinal correlations between these variables. Methods: Patient...

Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears can cause significant shoulder pain, disability and reduction in quality of life. Treatment approaches can be operative or non-operative. Operative approaches include reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, arthroscopic debridement, partial rotator cuff repair, subacromial balloon spacers, superior capsule recons...

This study investigated the intra-rater reliability of a novice ultrasound (US) examiner and the inter-rater reliability of two examiners (novice, expert) in the measures of coracohumeral distance at rest (CHD) and at 60° of elevation without (CHD60) or with weights (CHD60w), tendon thickness of the long head of the biceps (LHB) and subscapularis (...

Stroke is a common pathology worldwide, with an age-standardized global rate of new strokes of 150.5 per 100,000 population in 2017. Stroke causes upper motor neuron impairment leading to a spectrum of muscle weakness around the shoulder joint, changes in muscle tone, and subsequent soft tissue changes. Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) is the most co...

Objectives The aim of this study was to analyze whether differences in the coracohumeral distance (CHD) exist between the symptomatic and the asymptomatic shoulder in patients with subacromial pain syndrome and compare with the shoulder of control participants. Methods This was a cross-sectional, observational study. A sample comprising 62 partici...

Introduction There is a large diversity in the clinical presentation of frozen shoulder (FS) and the clinical outcome is not always satisfactory. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent range of motion (ROM) limitation, metabolic factors (diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorders), autonomic symptoms and pain sensitivity may contri...

The coracoid pain test (CPT) could contribute to the diagnosis of frozen shoulder (FS) with palpation. However, due to assessor performance these values might be unreliable. Therefore, the aim was to explore the diagnostic accuracy of an instrument-assisted CPT and two alternative approaches (pain severity and side comparison) for assistance in the...

Objectives: The pathophysiology of frozen shoulder (FS) is thought to be related to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation may disturb the immune system and consequently the nervous system as part of an overarching system. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of disturbed autonomic nervous system function and altered central pai...

Frozen shoulder is a common debilitating disorder characterized by shoulder pain and progressive loss of shoulder movement. Frozen shoulder is frequently associated with other systemic conditions or occurs following periods of immobilization, and has a protracted clinical course, which can be frustrating for patients as well as health-care professi...

Introduction: Prognosis following surgical rotator cuff repair (RCR) is often established through the assessment of non-modifiable biomedical factors such as tear size. This understates the complex nature of recovery following RCR. There is a need to identify modifiable psychosocial and sleep-related variables, and to find out whether changes in c...

Objective: To summarize factors that are associated with a better treatment outcome after post-operative physical therapy in patients with shoulder arthroplasty. Data sources: PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science. Review methods: Studies examining factors that are associated with a better outcome after post-operative physical therapy intervent...

Frozen shoulder (FS) is a pathology that is difficult to understand and difficult to manage. Over the last ten years, contradictory and new evidence is provided regarding the recovery and its natural course. This narrative review provides new information about the diagnosis and conservative treatment of patients with FS and ongoing research hypothe...

Objective: Understanding the underlying mechanisms behind shoulder dysfunctions in patients with diabetes mellitus. Study Design: Systematic qualitative literature review. Participants: Patients with shoulder dysfunctions and diagnosed with impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus. Intervention: Published scientific literature containing evi...

Background: Acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and supraspinatus tendon thickness (STT) measured by ultrasound (US) can be combined in the occupation ratio (OR). Inter-rater reliability on these subacromial measures depends on the US experience of raters and on the subject status, differing between asymptomatic or patients with subacromial shoulder pai...

Background There is a lack of standardized criteria for diagnosing Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain (RCRSP). Objective To identify the most relevant clinical descriptors for diagnosing RCRSP. Methods A Delphi study was conducted through use of an international physical therapists expert panel. A 3-round Delphi survey involving an international...

The current systematic review aimed to compare the effect of injury-focused (specific) exercises versus more general (non-specific) exercises on pain in patients with chronic neck or shoulder pain. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Two reviewers screened and selected studies, extracted outcomes, assessed risk of bias, and rated the qu...

Frozen shoulder (FS) is a poorly understood condition resulting in substantial shoulder pain and mobility deficits. The mechanisms behind FS are not yet fully understood, but, similar to other persistent pain states, central pain mechanisms may contribute to ongoing symptoms in this population. The objective of this research was to investigate cond...

Objective : To determine 1) the effect of exercise therapy alone or in combination with other interventions compared to solely exercises and programs with or without exercises? And 2) what kind of exercise therapy or combination with other interventions is most effective? Design : Systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants : Patients with...

Background: Knowledge of predictors for shoulder pain in swimmers can assist professionals working with the athlete in developing optimal prevention strategies. However, study methodology and limited available data have constrained a comprehensive understanding of which factors cause shoulder pain. Purpose: To investigate risk factors and develop a...

Background: Pain can be influenced by several factors, including stress. Stress can have various reactions on pain. These reactions are influenced by several internal factors such as gender, age, and experience with stress or pain. Objectives: To determine the effect of acute stress on mechanical hyperalgesia (with pressure pain thresholds [PPT]...

Purpose To summarise factors that might influence treatment outcomes of physical therapy in patients with frozen shoulder. Methods A systematic literature study was performed by searching electronic bibliographies PubMed and Web of Science. Original full text research articles about human adults with frozen shoulder, assessing influencing factors...

Objective Our aim was to analyze whether shoulder pain is related to scapular upward rotation (SUR) or to the lengths of the pectoralis minor and levator scapulae muscles. Methods This cross-sectional, observational study was carried out in 3 primary-care centers; 54 individuals with chronic shoulder pain participated. Scapular upward rotation and...

The high incidence of injury during swim‐training as well as the increasing demands of the sports make monitoring of the swimmer’s training load a key concept requiring further investigation. Research has previously introduced numerous methods for the purposes of monitoring the swimmer’s training load, but a narrative review discussing the strength...

Objective Kinesiophobia is a clinically relevant factor in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to explore the cross-sectional association between kinesiophobia and both pain intensity and disability among individuals with chronic shoulder pain. Methods A total of 65 participants with chronic unilateral subacro...

Context: The latissimus dorsi plays a major role in generating the propulsive force during swimming. In addition, stiffness of this muscle may result in altered stroke biomechanics and predispose swimmers to shoulder pain. Measuring the flexibility of the latissimus dorsi can be of interest to reduce injury. However, the reliability of such measur...

Background Competitive swimmers are exposed to enormous volumes of swim training that may overload the soft tissue structures and contribute to shoulder pain. An understanding of training factors associated with the injury is needed before practice guidelines can be developed. Objectives To investigate the relationship between swim-training volume...

Study design: Systematic review. Background: Subacromial shoulder pain (SSP) is a frequently diagnosed shoulder complaint. Management often involves an exercise programme but may include many other interventions. The aim of this review is to update the systematic review published by Littlewood et al. in 2013, which focused on evaluating the effe...

The predictive value of the multiple hop test for first-time noncontact lateral ankle sprains. Background: Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are very common sports injuries, cause high health care costs and are associated with postural control deficits. From a preventive point of view, clinicians should dispose valid field tests to identify athletes at...

BACKGROUND: Pain can be influenced by several factors, including stress. Stress can have various reactions on pain. These reactions are influenced by several internal factors such as gender, age, and experience with stress or pain. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of acute stress on mechanical hyperalgesia (with pressure pain thresholds [PPT]),...

Objectives: To explore the association between psychological factors and shoulder pain intensity, function, as well as local and generalized pressure pain hypersensitivity. Design: a cross-sectional study. Methods: 90 participants with chronic shoulder pain were included. Pressure pain thresholds determined the presence of pain hypersensitivit...

OBJECTIVE To test the validity of the coracoid pain test and to obtain possible discriminative validity for subgroups of FS patients (with DM and autonomic dysfunction).

Objective To determine the potential differences in both scapular positioning and scapular movement between the symptomatic and asymptomatic contralateral shoulder, in patients with unilateral subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS), and when compared with participants free of shoulder pain. Setting Three different primary care centres. Participants A s...

Background: Disorders of the rotator cuff are a common musculoskeletal pain presentation in the general population, and treatment by a physiotherapist is often prescribed. In 2011, 2016, surveys of physiotherapy practice in the United Kingdom (UK) were performed, which reported that advice and exercise were the most common treatment strategies use...

Objectives: To investigate the association of pain sensitivity and endogenous analgesia capacity, and training volume in a group of competitive swimmers. Design: An observational multi-center study. Setting: Multiple competitive swimming clubs. Participants: 102 healthy competitive swimmers. Main outcome measures: Training volume was estimated...

Objective: To determine whether the thickness of the rotator interval tendons is different when comparing both symptomatic and non-symptomatic sides in people with chronic shoulder pain, and to those free of pain. Furthermore, to calculate the level of association between the rotator interval tendon thicknesses and perceived shoulder pain-function....

Objective:: To examine the predictive, moderating and mediating role of cognitive, emotional and behavioral factors on pain and disability following shoulder treatment. Data sources:: Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and PsycINFO) were searched until 14 January 2019. Study selection:: Studies including persons with musculos...

Background Manual therapy has been demonstrated to reduce pain and improve function in patients with frozen shoulder contracture syndrome (FSCS), but no evidence exists to support one form of manual therapy over another. This case series describes both short- and long-term outcomes after a manual therapy program and home stretching exercises based...

Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review and critically appraise the role of self-efficacy in pain intensity, function, psychological factors, health behaviors, and quality of life in people with rheumatoid arthritis, based on the analyses of longitudinal studies. Methods: An electronic search of PubMed, AMED, CINAHL, PsycIN...

Background: Pain beliefs might play a role in the development, transition, and perpetuation of shoulder pain. Objective: To systematically review and critically appraise the association and the predictive value of pain beliefs on pain intensity and/or disability in shoulder pain. Methods: An electronic search of PubMed, EBSCOhost, AMED, CINAHL...

Introduction Chronic shoulder pain is a very complex syndrome, and the mechanisms involved in its perpetuation remain unclear. Psychological factors appear to play a role in the perpetuation of symptoms in people with shoulder chronicity. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the role of psychological factors in the perpetuation of sy...

Objectives Measuring thoracic spine mobility can be of interest as it has been associated with shoulder girdle function and scapular position in subjects with and without shoulder pain. At present, no reliability data of thoracic spine mobility measurements are available in the swimming population. This study aims to evaluate the within-session int...

Background: The therapeutic value of proprioceptive-based exercises in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) management warrants investigation of proprioceptive testing methods easily accessible in clinical practice. Objective: To estimate inter- and intrarater reliability of the knee joint position sense (KJPS) test and knee force sense (KFS) test in subje...

Chronicity and recurrence in musculoskeletal shoulder pain are highly prevalent and can possibly be attributed to the concept of central sensitization. Available studies suggest a role for central sensitization in explaining chronic shoulder pain, but so far a comprehensive quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol has not been used. The aim of t...

Introduction: Although the importance of psychosocial factors has been highlighted in many studies in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), there is a lack of research examining the role of illness perceptions in explaining functional disability and physical activity in patients with CLBP. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the value...

Hypothesis / aims of study Urinary incontinence (UI) is not a life threatening condition but it does have a negative impact on many aspects of a woman's quality of life such as social, physical, psychological and sexual aspects. Current evidence has shown that stress urinary incontinence (SUI) does not occur exclusively in the postnatal period or i...

http://www.wcpt.org/wcpt2017/FS-16

Background The aim of this study was twofold: (i) to assess the intrarater reliability of coracohumeral distance; (ii) to investigate the level of association between coracohumeral distance measured by ultrasonography, and pain-disability and shoulder range of movement, in patients suffering from chronic anterior shoulder pain. Methods An observati...

Introduction Shoulder pain is a highly prevalent condition. Psychological factors could play an essential role in the prognosis of chronic shoulder pain (CSP). The aims of the study will be to analyse the level of association between psychological factors and pain-disability at baseline and prospectively to assess their prognostic role; to evaluate...