Chiropractic Manipulation, Physical Therapy, and Exercise Therapy for Shoulder Pain Relief

How do chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy fare compared to placebo or sham interventions?

So much for chiropractors and physical therapists! When it comes to shoulder pain, a systematic review and meta-analysis found that common chiropractic adjustments offered no benefit for improving pain or function compared to sham or fake spinal manipulation, but at least a visit to the chiropractor didn’t make the underlying issue worse.

Similarly, physical therapy can’t beat out fake physical therapy or even a fake ultrasound placebo. Specific shoulder pain exercises don’t appear any different than general exercises, and more exercise doesn’t seem to be superior to less. When physical therapy was pitted against a progressive shoulder-strengthening resistance exercise program, neither beat out the do-nothing control group that just got educational sessions. But, at least a visit to the physical therapist didn’t make the underlying issue worse.

Unbelievably, that’s why exercise therapy is recommended in clinical practice guidelines—not because it works, but because it’s “often valued” by patients. We want to get our money’s worth and feel like our provider is giving us something. How about they give us the truth?

If you’re starting to get disillusioned with the whole system, hold onto your britches, because you haven’t seen anything yet.

This is the second in a six-part video series. If you missed the first one, check out Steroid Injections for Shoulder Pain Relief May Do More Harm Than Good (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/steroid-injections-for-shoulder-pain-relief-may-do-more-harm-than-good). Stay tuned for:
• Rotator Cuff Surgery May Cause More Shoulder Pain Than Relief (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/rotator-cuff-surgery-may-cause-more-shoulder-pain-than-relief)
• Why Do Surgeons Continue to Perform Worthless Operations? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/why-do-surgeons-continue-to-perform-worthless-operations)
• Preventing Rotator Cuff Shoulder Pain with Diet (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-rotator-cuff-shoulder-pain-with-diet)
• Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): What It Is and How to Prevent and Treat It (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/frozen-shoulder-adhesive-capsulitis-what-it-is-and-how-to-prevent-and-treat-it)

Check out my new book How Not to Hurt (https://nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-hurt/), available now for preorders. (All proceeds received from my book are donated directly to charity.)

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Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at https://nutritionfacts.org/video/chiropractic-manipulation-physical-therapy-and-exercise-therapy-for-shoulder-pain-relief. You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgements for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics.

Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

Captions for this video are available in several languages; you can find yours in the video settings. View important information about our translated resources: https://nutritionfacts.org/translations-info/

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