In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of adding PRF to SSNB combined with ultrasound-guided intra-articular steroid injection in chronic shoulder pain patients with impingement syndrome. The study focused on changes in pain and function scores in patients with shoulder pain for at least three months with no response to conservative therapies. Both groups exhibited an improvement in pain scores following intervention. However, our findings support the hypothesis that adding PRF to SSNB and intra-articular steroids significantly enhances pain relief and shoulder function in patients with chronic impingement syndrome. Patients who received additional PRF had greater reductions in SPADI scores compared to the injection-only group throughout the six-month study duration. In addition, they reported consistently lower numeric pain scores starting from day 15 onward, indicating faster and sustained pain relief.
Regarding shoulder motion, patients receiving adjuvant PRF maintained better shoulder AROM in most planes, suggesting that PRF could prevent the decline in shoulder motion. Both groups in our study demonstrated a reduction in SPADI and NRS scores. This confirms the efficacy of SSNB combined with intra-articular corticosteroids, with or without PRF, in managing patients with chronic shoulder pain (
12). However, patients receiving additional PRF treatment showed greater and consistent improvements in pain reduction, shoulder mobility, and overall function starting from day 15 and throughout the 6-month study follow-up period. This aligns with the existing literature that suggests PRF as an effective adjunct therapy for enhancing pain relief and functional recovery in chronic shoulder pain secondary to shoulder impingement syndrome (
13-
15).
Bergamaschi et al. found that ultrasound-guided PRF of the SSN resulted in greater pain relief compared to nerve block alone in patients with chronic shoulder pain. The PRF-treated group had significantly reduced pain during shoulder movement in the weeks following the procedure; however, that study reported no difference in shoulder range of motion between the two groups at the third month (
12). In contrast, our study showed early AROM advantages in the PRF group starting as early as 15 days post-intervention. This discrepancy could be due to the inclusion of intra-articular steroids in both groups.
Our study design is novel in evaluating PRF in combination with SSNB and intra-articular steroids. Few previous studies exist; however, our study differs from earlier research in study design, PRF duration, and the type of corticosteroid used. Cetingok and Serce (
16) observed significant pain relief and functional improvements following combined PRF, SSNB, and intra-articular steroid treatments. Similar to our study, patients receiving this regimen had lower NRS scores, longer durations of pain relief, and better overall patient satisfaction (P < 0.05). However, the PRF duration (240 seconds) in their study was shorter than in our study (480 seconds). This suggests that adjunctive therapies may compensate for shorter neuromodulation periods and enhance pain relief in terms of intensity and duration.
Liliang et al. (
15) suggested the clinical efficacy of PRF alone, applied for 180 seconds, showing significant reductions in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and SPADI scores at one and six months (P < 0.001). Their study suggested that even shorter PRF durations are beneficial in reducing pain and disability. Our study supported the role of PRF in providing pain and function improvement compared to the clinical benefit without PRF. These benefits were also demonstrated by Luleci et al. (
14), who observed significant pain reduction (P < 0.001) and functional improvement (P < 0.001) after three and six months of PRF treatment (480 seconds). The percentage of patients with sustained pain reduction was higher after six months of PRF treatment in Luleci et al.’s study (78.9%) compared to Liliang et al.’s study (69.2%)
15. These findings could support the advantages of longer PRF durations, especially when combined with nerve blocks and intra-articular steroid injections (
14).
Other studies supported the clinical benefits of PRF lesioning of the SSN combined with physical therapy, compared to physical therapy alone. Wu et al. (
13) found a rapid (6.1 ± 3.4 vs. 28.1 ± 9.2 days; P < 0.001) and substantial pain relief (reduction of VAS score: 40% vs. 4.7%; P < 0.001) when combining PRF (180 seconds) with physical therapy in patients with adhesive capsulitis. Additionally, the VAS, SPADI, and Passive Range of Motion (PROM) scores improved significantly in patients receiving the PRF and physical therapy combination (P < 0.05). Together, our study and Wu et al.’s findings suggest that the analgesic and functional benefits of PRF in chronic shoulder pain persist for at least six months (
13). Prolonged pain relief allows patients to undergo physiotherapy with minimal discomfort, resulting in accelerated functional recovery (
17). In contrast, other studies questioned the role of PRF in improving pain and function in patients with chronic pain. The randomized controlled study by Youssef et al. (
18) found more rapid and sustained pain relief with intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide injections alone compared to PRF (240 seconds), until three months post-intervention (P = 0.018). However, there was no observed difference in the VAS score of both groups after 6 months of follow-up (P = 0.096). This could suggest that intra-articular steroid injection may offer superior therapeutic benefits over PRF in select patient populations. However, the variability in responses could differ between diverse patient populations or procedural specifics.
Differences in PRF duration, type of corticosteroid injection, selected local anesthetic, and adjunctive therapies are considerable variables that can impact treatment outcomes. For instance, the selection of betamethasone dipropionate in our study may have influenced analgesic outcomes due to its pharmacokinetic profile and safety advantages, such as smaller particulate size and reduced embolization risk compared to triamcinolone. Our study also used bupivacaine, a long-acting amide anesthetic with a slow onset and a prolonged duration of action, compared to lidocaine (
19).
The meta-analysis conducted by Pushparaj et al. (
20) also suggested insufficient evidence supporting PRF efficacy; however, the reliability of this review remains limited due to certain methodological concerns, such as the inclusion of observational studies, case series, and case reports, the heterogeneity in study designs, variable participant characteristics, different follow-up intervals, and inconsistent treatment protocols.
Sinha et al. observed that ultrasound-guided PRF of the SSN combined with intra-articular dexamethasone injection was an effective treatment for the management of chronic shoulder pain. The PRF significantly improved the AROM in all directions, including flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation, with a significant increase (P < 0.001) after the intervention (
17). Abo Elfadl et al. also found that shoulder mobility significantly improved after PRF, where the functional range, using the simple shoulder test (SST), improved from 6.5% at baseline to 76.5% post-PRF at 12 weeks of treatment (
21).
Similarly, our trial found that patients receiving adjunct PRF had significantly better AROM and SPADI scores up to six months of follow-up, suggesting that patients were better at performing exercises and daily tasks. However, the slight decline in AROM flexion in group B, observed after 6 months, could result from a possible fading of the pharmacological and neuromodulatory effects of the intervention. Our study’s positive outcomes highlight the potential value of incorporating PRF treatment of the SSN at 42°C for 480 seconds in enhancing the therapeutic benefit for patients with chronic shoulder impingement syndrome, compared to the use of SSN block and intra-articular steroid injections alone.
Additionally, the unique mechanism of PRF neuromodulation, without nerve destruction, likely contributed to sustained therapeutic outcomes, which could improve patient satisfaction and participation in rehabilitation activities (
13). In real-world settings, this treatment strategy offers a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that could reduce the need for more invasive surgeries. We also believe that better improvement of pain control and mobility with this combination may result in better engagement in rehabilitation programs and longer functional recovery. Future research should assess the cost-effectiveness of this combination management and identify patient subgroups that could most likely benefit from it in real-world practice.
5.1. Conclusions
In conclusion, our findings support the incorporation of PRF into standard treatment protocols for chronic shoulder pain secondary to impingement syndrome, providing sustained pain relief, improved shoulder mobility, and enhanced patient comfort. Given its favorable risk-benefit profile, PRF represents a promising adjunct therapy, warranting further investigation to optimize protocols and confirm long-term benefits. Further studies with larger, multi-center cohorts, longer follow-up durations, and randomized-controlled comparisons are recommended to assess the long-term effectiveness of management modalities.
5.2. Limitations
This study has several limitations that warrant consideration. First, the relatively small sample size may limit the statistical power and reduce the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, being a single-center study, the results may be influenced by local clinical practices or population characteristics, which could affect external validity. The absence of a placebo or sham-control group further limits the ability to attribute improvements solely to the PRF intervention. Placebo effects, including benefits from procedural elements such as needle placement, local anesthetic administration, or patient expectations, could not be ruled out.
Moreover, the use of subjective outcome measures such as the Visual Numerical Rating Scale (VNRS) and the Modified MacNab criteria, while validated, may be influenced by individual perceptions and expectations. The lack of blinding in both patients and assessors also raises the risk of performance and detection bias. Furthermore, the follow-up duration was limited to six months, which restricts insights into the long-term sustainability of pain relief and functional improvement. Lastly, variations in patient characteristics, such as chronicity, underlying etiology of shoulder pain, and previous treatments, may introduce heterogeneity that could affect the interpretation of outcomes.