Management With Ketorolac or Corticosteroids for Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: Results From a Randomised Controlled Trial Publisher



Salkhori O ; Sahebi M ; Guity MR ; Nezhad SG ; Bagheri N
Source: Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics Published:2026

Abstract

Purpose: Subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS) causes shoulder pain and limitations. While corticosteroid injections are common, concerns about side effects lead to exploring alternatives like ketorolac. This trial compared the short-term effectiveness of subacromial ketorolac versus corticosteroids in SAIS patients. Methods: This double-blind, randomised controlled trial enrolled 120 patients with clinically diagnosed SAIS. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a single ultrasound-guided subacromial injection of either ketorolac (30 mg) or methylprednisolone acetate (40 mg). The primary outcome was change in active shoulder forward flexion at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included other shoulder range-of-motion measures, shoulder abduction strength, the simple shoulder test (SST) and the Oxford shoulder score (OSS). Between-group comparisons were performed using baseline-adjusted analyses of covariance, with a noninferiority margin of −10° prespecified for the primary outcome. Results: A total of 118 patients completed the 3-month follow-up and were included in the final analysis (two dropouts). Both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements from baseline in shoulder range of motion, strength and patient-reported outcomes (p < 0.001). The adjusted mean difference in forward flexion between the ketorolac and corticosteroid groups was 0.07° (95% CI, −4.40° to 4.26°), meeting the prespecified criterion for noninferiority. No clinically meaningful between-group differences were observed for secondary outcomes. No injection-related adverse events were reported during follow-up. Conclusion: Subacromial ketorolac injection produced short-term improvements comparable to those of corticosteroid injection in patients with SAIS. Ketorolac was non-inferior to corticosteroids for shoulder forward flexion at 3 months. Longer-term studies are needed to confirm these findings. Level of Evidence: Level I. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.