Shoulder pain is one of the most common muskuloskeletal problems seen in an outpatient setting. The main symptoms of periarticular shoulder pain (PSP) are pain and functional impairment. Many physical modalities have been advocated as potentially useful in the management of shoulder pain but have not been adequately studied. A randomized clinical prospective trial was designed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of ultrasound (US) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) with exercise therapy and cold application in relieving periarticular shoulder pain and increasing mobility. Fifty female patients with untreated PSP were randomly assigned to two groups, 26 received TENS for 30 minutes on the anterior and posterior aspects of the glenohumeral joint, the other 24 received US to the glenohumeral joint for 10 minutes for 13 sessions. All patients received cold pack application and performed stretching range of motion exercises (ROM). Outcome measures included measurements of flexion and abduction range of movement and pain level. A clinically and statistically significant improvement in the range of motion and pain were shown for both groups with significant improvement in the ROM for the US treatment group.

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