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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05814978

Effects of Scapular Therapeutic Exercise on Essential Biomechanical and Neurophysiological Parameters in Shoulder Pain Conditions With Scapular Impairments

Shoulder pain is a prevalent and recurrent condition. After a period of shoulder pain, some adaptations could be found, as in scapular muscles and kinematics and/or in nervous system.

It seems important to assess several biomechanical and neurophysiological outcomes to better characterize shoulder pain conditions and to program an intervention plane.

Therapeutic exercise is one of the treatments used for shoulder pain, however there are still doubts and controversial findings regarding exercise focusing the scapular musculature. Thus, the present study aims to assess the effects of an intervention protocol based on scapular therapeutic exercise.

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Key information

Conditions

Shoulder Pain Arthralgia Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto

Porto, 4200 - 072, Portugal

About this study

The study only started after approval of the protocol

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • 18 to 65 years old
  • Chronic (more than 3 months), continuously or intermittently, non-specific or associated with a diagnostic (except if mentioned in the exclusion criteria) shoulder pain of, at least, moderate intensity
  • Presenting scapular alterations as scapular dyskinesis (identified at rest or during motion)

Exclusion criteria

  • History of shoulder fracture, dislocation, tears, infection or neoplasm
  • Shoulder surgery
  • Cervical and/or thoracic pathologies or pain associated with active movements of these regions
  • Neurological disease
  • Body mass index out of the range 18,5-30 kg/m2 and muscular skinfold higher than 20mm
  • Inability to perform the exercises
  • Current practice of competitive/high-level exercise/sport focusing the upper limb

Treatment and study plan

Experimental Scapular Therapeutic Exercise Group

Other

All subjects will perform a program of scapular therapeutic exercises including: neuromuscular control/strength - scapular therapeutic exercises that leads to, at least, moderate muscular activity levels; and stretching exercises.

The intervention period will be of 8 weeks, considering in-person and/or home sessions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in shoulder pain

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    The intensity of pain will be measured with a self-reported 11-point scale (Numerical Rating Pain Scale), with scores ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximum pain)

  2. Change in shoulder function

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Shoulder functional status will be measured with a self-reported 13 items scale (SPADI), which ranges from 0 (fully functional) to 100 (maximum degree of disability).

  3. Change in scapular muscles activity levels

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Scapular muscles activity levels, during shoulder analytical movements and during a functional task, will be recorded superficially by a wireless electromyographic signal detector system

  4. Change in scapular muscles ratio

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Ratio between scapular muscles activity levels, during shoulder analytical movements and during a functional task, will be calculated considered the superficially eletromyographic data measured by a wireless electromyographic signal detector system.

  5. Change in kinematics

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Scapular kinematics and scapulohumeral rhythm, during shoulder analytical movements and during a functional task, will be measured by inertial sensors and described in degrees (°)

  6. Change in movement quality through time variables

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Movement quality will be assessed considering time to peak acceleration and task completion time, calculated according to the data recorded with inertial sensors

  7. Change in movement quality through trunk compensation

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Movement quality will be also assessed considering the trunk motion, calculated according to the data recorded with inertial sensors

  8. Change in movement quality through smoothness

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Smoothness will be calculated by jerk logarithm of data recorded with inertial sensors

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in muscle stiffness

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Scapular muscles stiffness will be assessed by myotonometry (using a digital palpation device)

  2. Change in pressure pain threshold

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    An assessment point in the shoulder area will be assessed by the application of a mechanical pressure by an algometer

  3. Change in pain-related fear

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Assessed with self-reported scales - Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, which ranges from 13 (best) to 52 (worst)

  4. Change in pain catastrophization

    Time frame: Baseline and one week after intervention

    Assessed with a self-reported scale - Pain Catastrophizing Scale, which ranges from 0 (better) to 52 (worst)

  5. Self-impression of change

    Time frame: One week after intervention

    The patient's individual perspective about his/her condition and changes felt considering the intervention received will be assessed by a self-reported scale - Patient global impression of change scale, which range from 0 [no change (or condition has got worse)] to 7 (a great deal better, and a considerable improvement that has made all the difference)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Polytechnic Institute of Porto

Other

Collaborators

  • Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Research in Health, Health School of the Setubal, Polytechnic Institute
  • Center for Rehabilitation Research - Human Movement System (Re)habilitation Area
  • Porto Biomechanics Laboratory
  • School of Health of Polytechnic Institute of Porto
  • Universidade do Porto

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Apr 18, 2023
Registry last updated
Jul 30, 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.

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