Efficacy of steroid injections for joint pain

Efficacy and safety of steroid injections for shoulder and elbow tendonitis: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials    2009 review of 20 trials “Steroid injections for tendinitis of “shoulder and elbow) in the short-term were similar to NSAIDs, and no long-term benefit was shown.”

Corticosteroid injections for shoulder pain.  2003 review of 26 trials  CONCLUSIONS: Despite many RCTs of corticosteroid injections for shoulder pain, their small sample sizes, variable methodological quality and heterogeneity means that there is little overall evidence to guide treatment. Subacromial corticosteroid injection for rotator cuff disease and intra-articular injection for adhesive capsulitis may be beneficial although their effect may be small and not well-maintained.

Steroid injections for shoulder disorders. 1996 review of 16 trials. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence in favour of the efficacy of steroid injections for shoulder disorders is scarce. The methods of most studies appear to be of poor quality. The few studies that appear to be credible do not provide conclusive evidence about which patients at what time in the course of shoulder disorders benefit most from steroid injections.

Intra-articular steroid injections for painful knees.  2014 review of 5 trials   CONCLUSION: Intra-articular corticosteroid injection results in clinically and statistically significant reduction in osteoarthritic knee pain 1 week after injection. The beneficial effect could last for 3 to 4 weeks, but is unlikely to continue beyond that.

Intraarticular corticosteroid for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. 2006 review of 28 trials  CONCLUSIONS: The short-term benefit of IA corticosteroids in treatment of knee OA is well established, and few side effects have been reported. Longer term benefits have not been confirmed based on the RevMan analysis.