Spinal Manipulation and Electrical Dry Needling for Subacromial Pain Syndrome

Physical therapists who treat shoulder pain in outpatient orthopaedic settings, along with physical therapist assistants who carry out shoulder plans of care under the direction of a physical therapist and want to follow the current evidence conversation around manipulation and needling.

Licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in outpatient orthopaedic, sports, and general musculoskeletal practice.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single peer-reviewed research report. Every claim, number, and conclusion in the lessons that follow traces back to this article.

Dunning J, Butts R, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Walsh S, Goult C, Gillett B, Arias-Buría JL, Garcia J, Young IA. Spinal Manipulation and Electrical Dry Needling in Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2021;51(2). Epub 28 Aug 2020. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.9785. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03168477).

A note on the authors’ disclosures

The article states that the lead author is president and director of the postgraduate fellowship program that trained the treating therapists, and that three authors receive a fee from that organization for teaching weekend continuing education courses in manipulation and dry needling. The authors reported that no funding was received for the study. The trial itself reported this openly, and the course reports it in turn.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the two treatment programs that were compared in this multicenter trial of patients with subacromial pain syndrome.
2. State the direction of the trial's findings for shoulder pain, disability, perceived recovery, and medication use at the three-month follow-up.
3. Explain the main limits the authors placed on their own findings, including the decision to leave exercise out of the experimental program.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. The Podcast: Manipulation, Needling, and the Painful Shoulder (about nine minutes)
3. Subacromial Pain Syndrome and the Question This Trial Asked
4. Who Took Part and How the Two Treatment Programs Were Delivered
5. Pain, Disability, Perceived Recovery, and Medication Use at Three Months
6. Side Effects, Design Choices, and the Limits of the Evidence
7. How the Authors Framed the Findings for Practice
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single peer-reviewed research report. Every claim, number, and conclusion in the lessons that follow traces back to this article.
2. Dunning J, Butts R, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Walsh S, Goult C, Gillett B, Arias-Buría JL, Garcia J, Young IA. Spinal Manipulation and Electrical Dry Needling in Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2021;51(2). Epub 28 Aug 2020. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.9785. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03168477).
3. A note on the authors' disclosures
4. The article states that the lead author is president and director of the postgraduate fellowship program that trained the treating therapists, and that three authors receive a fee from that organization for teaching weekend continuing education courses in manipulation and dry needling. The authors reported that no funding was received for the study. The trial itself reported this openly, and the course reports it in turn.