This purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of shoulder joint mobilization generated by an innovative servomotor joint mobilization apparatus that was developed in this research for patients suffering from frozen shoulder. Forty-eight patients with frozen shoulder were recruited and stratified randomly assigned into one of two groups: joint mobilization apparatus (posterior and inferior gliding, 80 N, 5 Hz, 30 min) combined with regular therapy (experimental group; EG) versus a regular therapy alone group (control group; CG), three times a week for eight weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and shoulder range of motion (ROM) were measured before, during, and the end of the treatment. Results showed that the shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation, and external rotation of the EG improved by 36%, 51%, 81%, and 88%, respectively, while VAS pain scores decreased by 62% when compared with the baseline. Furthermore, the shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation, external rotation, and pain score of the EG was 11%, 25%, 41%, 24%, and 34% better than those of the CG, respectively. No complaint as well as no side effects were found during or after usage of the joint mobilization apparatus in EG. This study suggests that the joint mobilization apparatus operated by a very small amount of professional manpower and combined with physical therapy further improves shoulder ROM and pain in patients with frozen shoulder compared to regular physical therapy alone and could be one of the new therapeutic regimens in the future.

Whole-Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA) has been reported to induce endothelial nitric oxide and cause vasodilation. However, the effects of WBPA on blood pressure and cardiovascular hemodynamics are still unclear and controversial. The objective of this study was to determine whether a single session of 160-degree V-shape Whole-Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA-V-160), i.e., periodic motion of the supine body headward to footward, improved blood pressure and cardiovascular parameters. A pre-evaluation and post-evaluation of blood pressure and cardiovascular hemodynamics via DynaPulse Noninvasive and Quantitative Hemodynamic Profile Analysis were performed after a single 30 min trial of WBPA-V-160 with a moving distance, headward to footward, of 2 mm, at a constant frequency of 4 Hz. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, heart rate, end systolic pressure, end diastolic pressure, mean arterial BP, and pulse pressure at post-evaluation were significantly lower than at pre-evaluation after WBPA-V-160, whereas systemic vascular compliance and brachial artery distensibility at post-evaluation were significantly higher than at pre-evaluation. The WBPA-V-160, performed for 30 min, did improve blood pressure and cardiovascular hemodynamics by lowing the BP parameters and enhancing systemic vascular compliance.