Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07481864

The Effect of Early-Phase Graded Motor Imagery Following Massive Rotator Cuff Repair.

Massive rotator cuff tears are associated with significant pain, functional limitations, and prolonged rehabilitation following surgical repair. In the early postoperative phase, rehabilitation protocols are often limited due to surgical protection requirements, which may delay the restoration of motor control and shoulder function. Graded motor imagery (GMI), a movement representation technique that includes laterality recognition, motor imagery, and mirror therapy, has been shown to modulate cortical processing and improve pain and motor function in various musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. However, its potential role in early postoperative shoulder rehabilitation has not been adequately investigated.

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Conditions

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

Age range

30 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Acibadem University

Istanbul, Turkey, +90, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Nuray ALACA

CONTACT

[email protected]

05324251290

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age between 30 and 65 years
  • Presence of an arthroscopically repaired anterior-superior rotator cuff tear, involving the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons

Exclusion criteria

  • Age younger than 30 years or older than 65 years
  • Presence of severe malignant, hematological, endocrine, metabolic, rheumatologic, or gastrointestinal diseases
  • Diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade III or higher, with radiographic evidence of osteophytes)
  • Current treatment with cytotoxic agents or systemic corticosteroids
  • Alcohol dependence, history of substance abuse, or psychological/emotional disorders that may compromise the validity of informed consent
  • Previous surgery on the ipsilateral shoulder
  • Multiple tendon tears, such as combined tears involving the supraspinatus together with the infraspinatus or subscapularis tendons

Treatment and study plan

Graded Motor İmagery

Other

The graded motor imagery program will include laterality recognition training, motor imagery exercises, and mirror therapy tasks aimed at activating cortical motor networks without physical shoulder movement during the early postoperative phase.

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Intensity (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after surgery.

    Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), where participants rate their average shoulder pain over the past 24 hours on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Pain will be evaluated at rest, during activity, and at night.

  2. Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

    Participants will rate the overall function of their shoulder on a 10-cm scale ranging from "as bad as it could be" to "as good as it could be."

  3. Passive Shoulder Range of Motion

    Time frame: 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after surgery.

    Passive shoulder range of motion will be measured using a goniometer.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)

    Time frame: 6 weeks and 12 weeks after surgery.

    The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-reported questionnaire consisting of pain (5 items) and disability (8 items) subscales. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater pain and functional limitation.

  2. Motor Imagery Ability (VMIQ-2)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

    Motor imagery ability will be evaluated using the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2), which assesses internal visual imagery, external visual imagery, and kinesthetic imagery across 36 items. Lower scores indicate more vivid imagery ability.

  3. Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

    The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia evaluates fear of movement related to pain. Scores range from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater fear of movement.

  4. Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

    The PCS assesses catastrophic thinking related to pain across 13 items. Total scores range from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating greater catastrophizing.

  5. Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ)

    Time frame: Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

    The PSEQ measures confidence in performing activities despite pain. Scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Nuray ALACA

CONTACT

[email protected]

05324251290

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Acibadem University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Early-Phase Graded Motor Imagery Following Massive Rotator Cuff Repair

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 19, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 15, 2026

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.

Related clinical trials

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