Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05975801

Dry Cupping Therapy on Rotator Cuff Injuries

Shoulder pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem after spine and knee complaints. Rotator cuff injuries (RCI) are the most common cause of shoulder pain. RCI includes a wide spectrum from subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) to chronic tendinopathy, partial and total ruptures of the rotator cuff. In recent years there has been a renewed interest in traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) for various musculoskeletal problems. Cupping therapy, which is one of the most commonly used TCM methods, is one of the oldest medical applications with thousands of years of history. Although it is thought to be effective in many diseases, there are not enough studies in the literature about its effectiveness and mechanism of action. Our aim in this study is to investigate the effects of moving dry cupping therapy on pain, range of motion (ROM), functionality and quality of life in RCI.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

About this study

Shoulder pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem after spine and knee complaints. Rotator cuff injuries (RCI) are the most common cause of shoulder pain. RCI includes a wide spectrum from subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) to chronic tendinopathy, partial and total ruptures of the rotator cuff. Conservative and surgical techniques are used in the treatment. Conservative treatments; various medical treatments, activity modifications, hot and cold agents, exercise, manual therapy, acupuncture, electrophysical agents, etc. includes applications. In recent years there has been a renewed interest in traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) for various musculoskeletal problems. Cupping therapy is an ancient TCM treatment that has been practiced in different ways in many cultures in Asia, Europe and the Middle East throughout history, but its true origin remains unclear. Although cupping therapy has been used to treat pain and various complaints for thousands of years, it has almost disappeared from the therapeutic spectrum of Western medicine with pharmacological developments in the late 20th century. However, over the past few years, interest in the cup has increased, and new clinical research suggests that the cup may be potentially effective in the management of painful conditions, in the treatment of pain-related diseases. Although it is stated in the literature that it is used in the treatment of many neuromusculoskeletal problems, according to the information participants have obtained in the relevant literature, there is not yet a study examining the effects of cupping therapy in RCI. In the light of these data, our aim in this study is to investigate the effects of moving dry cupping therapy on pain, range of motion (ROM), functionality and quality of life in RCI.Hypotheses:

H0: Cupping therapy has no effect on improving pain, ROM, functionality and quality of life in individuals with RCI.

H1: Cupping therapy has an effect on improving pain, ROM, functionality and quality of life in individuals with RCI.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 25-70 age range
  • Clinical diagnosis ofRCI, SIS, supraspinatus tendinitis
  • To be fully cooperative

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients who had undergone any surgical operation on the shoulder
  • A history of shoulder fracture
  • Severe osteoporosis
  • Total tendon rupture
  • Had received oral/intramuscular steroids in the last 1 month
  • Had been administered intra-articular drugs in the last 3 months
  • Difficulty in cooperation

Treatment and study plan

Dry cupping therapy

Other

Conservative Treatment (hotpack, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS), ultrasound

Other

Primary outcomes

  1. Shoulder Pain

    Time frame: 1 months

    Pain was evaluated with the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The patient was asked to mark his pain in numerical values ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (very severe pain). The higher the score obtained from this test, the more pain the patient has, and the smaller the score, the less the pain is predicted.

  2. Range of Motion

    Time frame: 1 months

    Shoulder flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation in the supine position using a baseline goniometer; Shoulder extension ROM in the prone position was evaluated as passive.

  3. Constant-Murley Score

    Time frame: 1 months

    Developed in 1987, this scoring system evaluates pain, activities of daily living, strength, and ROM. Its score ranges from 0 to 100 points, representing worst and best shoulder function, respectively. In the original publication, the pain experienced during normal activities of daily living was scored as: no pain = 15 points, mild = 10, moderate = 5 and severe = 0 points

  4. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH)

    Time frame: 1 months

    The disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire is a self-administered region-specific outcome instrument developed as a measure of self-rated upper-extremity disability and symptoms. The DASH consists mainly of a 30-item disability/symptom scale, scored 0 (no disability) to 100

  5. Short Form (SF-36)

    Time frame: 1 months

    SF-36, which is one of the most preferred scales in assessing the quality of life, consists of a total of 36 questions and 8 sections. It is divided into 8 parts as physical function, social function, physical role difficulty, emotional role difficulty, mental health, energy/vitality, pain and general health perception. Each section is scored between 0-100 in itself. High scores indicate high quality of life.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Investigation of the Effectiveness of Dry Cupping Therapy on Rotator Cuff Injuries

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2019
First posted
Aug 4, 2023
Registry last updated
Dec 13, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.