Scapular Upward Rotation Focused Treatment for Patient With Shoulder Impingement Syndrome and a Positive Scapular Assistance Test

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Subacromial Pain Syndrome; Scapular Dyskinesis; Impingement Syndrome
• Interventions: Other: exercise; Other: manual therapy

• Registration Number: NCT04813757
• Lead Sponsor: Meuhedet. Healthcare Organization

Brief Summary

Altered scapular movement is a common impairment among patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS). Nevertheless scapular focused interventions have resulted in conflicting findings among this population. One possible reason for this is the inability to identify patients with SAIS who will respond favorably to a scapular focused intervention.

The scapular assistance test (SAT) may be one possible indicator of patients most likely to benefit from a scapular focused intervention, particularly one that emphasizes scapular upward rotation. The purpose of this study is to examine targeted upward rotation intervention in patients demonstrating a positive Scapular Assistance test.

Detailed Description

Background: Patients with SAIS are commonly referred to physical therapy. A common impairment among patients with SAIS is altered scapular movement, characterized by insufficient upward rotation and posterior tilt. These deficits are believed to decrease the subacromial space and diminish length -tension relationship among the deltoid and rotator cuff musculature. The scapular assistance test (SAT) is a physical examination manoeuvre aimed to detect patients in whom insufficient scapular upward rotation and posterior tilt contribute to the generation of shoulder symptoms. The SAT may, therefore, serve as an indication for the need of scapular focused intervention. Given the inconsistent results of scapular focused interventions among patients with SAIS, the purpose of this study is to assess the outcome of a scapular-focused intervention, particularly geared toward increasing scapular upward rotation, among patients with SAIS that exhibit a positive SAT as well.

Methods: Fifty patients with SAIS and a positive SAT referred to the "Meuhedet" outpatient physical therapy clinic in Ashdod will be recruited for this study. Following baseline assessment, patients will be randomized into 12 sessions over a 6-week period. The intervention group will receive manual therapy and an exercise program focused on increasing scapular upward rotation while the control group will receive manual therapy and an exercise program focused on scapular muscle an rotator cuff strengthening with no special emphasis on scapular upward rotation. Repeated measures analysis of covariance will be conducted to detect differences in pain intensity, shoulder -related disability and scapular upward rotation following the intervention

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-07-01
• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-03-21
• Study First Posted: 2021-03-24
• Status Verified: 2021-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-09-14
• Last Update Posted: 2021-09-16
• Primary Completion: 2022-12
• Study Completion: 2022-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

• Unilateral shoulder pain for ≥1 month
• A diagnosis of SAIS as determined by having 3 or ore positive tests out of: Neer test, Hawkins test, Painful arc, Jobe test, external rotation resistance test.
• A positive SAT

Exclusion criteria:

• Cervical spine involvement as evidenced by reproduction of symptoms with neck movement

• Massive rotator cuff tear as evidenced by pseudoparalysis

• Previous history of a fracture or surgery within the involved shoulder.

• Limited passive range of motion by ≥50% or more compared with uninvolved side in

  • 2 planes of motion (i.e. flexion, external rotation)

• A history of shoulder dislocation or subluxation

• A history of Rheumatoid arthritis, CVA, fibromyalgia

• Current pregnancy

• Population with special needs

• Pending disability claim / litigation procedure associated with shoulder complaint.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
intervention group	manual therapy	Participants in the intervention group will receive 12 treatment sessions over a 6-week period. Three sessions during the first 2 weeks, 2 sessions per week during weeks 3 and 4 , and one session during weeks 5 and 6. Each session will be 30 minutes including 10 minutes of manual therapy and 20 minutes for review and/or modification of the exercise program. The manual therapy will include trigger point manual therapy. The exercise program will include 2 scapular and rotator cuff strengthening exercises emphasizing scapular upward rotation and posterior tilt and one additional flexibility exercise. These exercise will be repeated at home on the days in between the therapy sessions.
intervention group	exercise	Participants in the intervention group will receive 12 treatment sessions over a 6-week period. Three sessions during the first 2 weeks, 2 sessions per week during weeks 3 and 4 , and one session during weeks 5 and 6. Each session will be 30 minutes including 10 minutes of manual therapy and 20 minutes for review and/or modification of the exercise program. The manual therapy will include trigger point manual therapy. The exercise program will include 2 scapular and rotator cuff strengthening exercises emphasizing scapular upward rotation and posterior tilt and one additional flexibility exercise. These exercise will be repeated at home on the days in between the therapy sessions.
control group	exercise	Participants in the control group will receive 12 treatment sessions over a 6-week period. Three sessions during the first 2 weeks, 2 sessions per week during weeks 3 and 4 , and one session during weeks 5 and 6. Each session will be 30 minutes including 10 minutes of manual therapy and 20 minutes for review and/or modification of the exercise program. The manual therapy will include trigger point manual therapy, posterior shoulder stretching, and mobilization-with-movement into shoulder elevation. The exercise program will include 2 exercises focusing on scapular and rotator cuff strengthening without a special emphasis on scapular upward rotation as well as one additional flexibility exercise. These exercises will be performed at home on the days on between the therapy sessions.
control group	manual therapy	Participants in the control group will receive 12 treatment sessions over a 6-week period. Three sessions during the first 2 weeks, 2 sessions per week during weeks 3 and 4 , and one session during weeks 5 and 6. Each session will be 30 minutes including 10 minutes of manual therapy and 20 minutes for review and/or modification of the exercise program. The manual therapy will include trigger point manual therapy, posterior shoulder stretching, and mobilization-with-movement into shoulder elevation. The exercise program will include 2 exercises focusing on scapular and rotator cuff strengthening without a special emphasis on scapular upward rotation as well as one additional flexibility exercise. These exercises will be performed at home on the days on between the therapy sessions.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire	pre intervention	each participant will receive the Disability of the Arm shoulder and hand questioner. score is from 0 -100 a higher score is greater disability
Numeric pain Rating Scale (NPRS), 0 - 10	pre intervention	each participant will receive the NPRS questioner higher score means greater pain

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
scapular posterior tilt	pre intervention	in standing position the scapular posterior tilt willl be measured by digital inclinometer which will be placed on the medial border of the scapula. the posterior tilt will be measured in 90 and 120 degree of forward flexion
Active shoulder flexion	pre intervention	in standing position the patient will elevate the arm in the sagittal plane, the range of motion will be measured by goniometer
active shoulder abduction	pre intervention	in standing position the patient will elevate the arm in the frontal plane, the range of motion will be measured by goniometer

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Meuhedet; 🇮🇱 Ashdod, Israel