The Effects of Eccentric-focused Exercise on Posterior Shoulder Tightness in Symptomatic Overhead Athletes

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Posterior Shoulder Tightness
• Interventions: Other: Eccentric-focused exercises; Other: Stretching exercises; Other: Hot pack; Other: Massage

• Registration Number: NCT05305196
• Lead Sponsor: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of shoulder eccentric exercise training on shoulder mobility, rotator cuff strength, pain and dysfunction, scapular kinematics and muscle activation in symptomatic overhead athletes with posterior shoulder tightness.

Detailed Description

Overhead athletes commonly have posterior shoulder tightness due to repetitively high tensile loading during overhead throwing. However, intervention studies focused on posterior shoulder tightness in people with subacromial pain are still limited. Additionally, eccentric exercise was thought to improve the eccentric strength and neuromuscular control of posterior shoulder muscles to endure repetitively eccentric loading, which may improve posterior shoulder tightness and decrease the risk of subacromial pain. Nevertheless, no previous study investigated the influence of eccentric exercise on posterior shoulder tightness in overhead athletes. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of shoulder eccentric exercise training on shoulder mobility, rotator cuff strength, pain and dysfunction, scapular kinematics and muscle activation in symptomatic overhead athletes with posterior shoulder tightness.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-02-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-03-22
• Study First Posted: 2022-03-31
• Study Start: 2022-11-09
• Status Verified: 2023-03
• Primary Completion: 2023-08-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-08-22
• Last Update Posted: 2023-08-23
• Study Completion: 2023-08-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Participate in overhead sports over 4 hours per week
• Age between 20 to 50 years old
• Glenohumeral joint range of motion deficit: Shoulder internal rotation loss more than 15 degrees compared to the non-dominant side and total arc of motion loss more than 5 degrees or/and horizontal adduction range of motion lo more than 15 degrees compared to the non-dominant side
• Shoulder impingement syndrome criteria

Exclusion Criteria

• History of shoulder dislocation, fracture and operation
• History of direct contact in upper extremities or cervical region in the past one month
• Shoulder pain or neurological symptom caused by cervical problem
• VAS more than 5 during shoulder elevation
• Receive treatment for posterior shoulder tightness in the past 3 months

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Eccentric-focused exercise group	Eccentric-focused exercises	Three eccentric-focused exercises addition to the general treatment group
Eccentric-focused exercise group	Massage	Three eccentric-focused exercises addition to the general treatment group
General treatment group	Massage	hot pack application on shoulder region upper trapezius massage two stretching exercises (modified sleeper stretch and modified cross-body stretch)
Eccentric-focused exercise group	Stretching exercises	Three eccentric-focused exercises addition to the general treatment group
General treatment group	Stretching exercises	hot pack application on shoulder region upper trapezius massage two stretching exercises (modified sleeper stretch and modified cross-body stretch)
Eccentric-focused exercise group	Hot pack	Three eccentric-focused exercises addition to the general treatment group
General treatment group	Hot pack	hot pack application on shoulder region upper trapezius massage two stretching exercises (modified sleeper stretch and modified cross-body stretch)

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Shoulder range of motion (measured with goniometer)	4 weeks	Shoulder external rotation, internal rotation, horizontal adduction range of motion in shoulder flexion 90 degrees
Rotator cuff functional strength ratio (Pro 4, Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Shirley, NY, USA)	4 weeks	Eccentric strength of shoulder external rotator and concentric strength of shoulder internal rotator are measured with isokinetic
Shoulder pain	4 weeks	Pain is measured with Visual Analogue scale (VAS) Score range from 0 to 10. Scoring of 0 represents no pain and scoring of 10 represents pain as bad as it could possibly be.
Shoulder function	4 weeks	Shoulder function is measured with Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH) Score range from 0 to 100. The higher of the score, the more disability.
Shoulder endurance test	4 weeks	Participants will be instructed to execute a shoulder endurance test with the theraband®. Participants are asked to place their tested arm in a shoulder forward flexion 90-degree position, holding a 1-m long theraband® fixed at shoulder height on a graduated stick. Then, they are asked to pull the theraband® from the starting position to a 90-90 ending position at an alternated cadence given by a metronome. Males were asked to pull a green theraband® (2.1 kg) and females a red theraband ® (1.7 kg).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Surface electromyography (TeleMyo 2400T G2, Noraxon USA Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA)	4 weeks	Muscle activation of infraspinatus, upper trapezius, lower trapezius and serratus anterior during shoulder elevation task in scapular plane
Electromagnetic tracking system (Liberty electromagnetic tracking system, Polhemus , Colchester, VT,)	4 weeks	Scapular kinematics during shoulder elevation task in scapular plane

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; 🇨🇳 Taipei, Beitou, Taiwan