Abstract
A 40-year-old male with a primary diagnosis of a partial thickness tear of the supraspinatus tendon was seen for physical therapy for a total of 12 sessions in a 6-week episode of care at an outpatient worker’s compensation clinic. Evaluation and treatment was performed by a student physical therapist under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter with the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), goniometry, manual muscle testing (MMT), the shoulder pain and disabilities index (SPADI), and the patient-specific functional scale (PSFS). A plan of care was established to address right shoulder pain, decreased glenohumeral (GH) range of motion (ROM), decreased strength, limitations in activities of daily living (ADL), and restrictions with functional activities for work and participation in hobbies. The main goals for the patient were to decrease pain, improve ROM, increase strength, and improve overall function of his upper extremity for return to non-modified full-time work tasks. The main interventions were manual therapy, progressive task-specific and strength training, neuromuscular reeducation, and patient education. The patient demonstrated significant improvement in pain levels, right shoulder ROM, the ability to lift light objects, and perform functional tasks with return to full-time work with modified restrictions. The patient was discharged home with a home exercise program to continue to address strength deficits.