Injections and physical therapy equal for treating shoulder pain

By Kathryn Doyle NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Physical therapy and steroid injections work equally well for shoulder pain, according to a new study. Researchers compared the treatments for people with shoulder impingement syndrome, a common type of persistent pain that can be caused by tendonitis, bursitis or other inflammation in the shoulder joint. “Interestingly, there is not standardized treatment for this and it can vary,” said lead author Daniel I. Rhon, a physical therapist at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. “I think there is a strong consensus that exercises can help, and patients may also get a referral to physical therapy for this condition,” Rhon told Reuters Health in an email.