EMG at Performing ULTN 1 in Breast Cancer Patients

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Physiotherapy

• Registration Number: NCT02599467
• Lead Sponsor: University of Alcala

Brief Summary

Upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is a painful disturbance that breast cancer patients often undergo following axillary surgery. It is assessed by the upper limb neurodynamic test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1). Design: A matched case-control observational study. Objective: to check the increased upper limb mechanosensitivity by shoulder range of motion (ROM) during ULNT1 and to determine, for the first time, the evoked electromyographic (EMG) muscle activity. Participants: 62 cases who underwent breast cancer surgery and 64 matched control women. Setting: Torrejon Hospital, Physical Therapy Department, Madrid (Spain). Intervention: To record EMG muscle activity during ULNT1 performance and to measure shoulder ROM. Key outcomes: mechanosensitivity, breast cancer, pain, EMG, shoulder ROM, median nerve.

Detailed Description

Upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is a painful disturbance that breast cancer patients often undergo following axillary surgery. It is assessed by the upper limb neurodynamic test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1).A neural provocation test is a sequence of movements designed to assess the mechanics and physiology of part of the nervous system by elongating the length of the nerve bedding and by increasing the pressure in and around the peripheral nerve .The most reliable test to assess the upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is the neural provocation test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1). This test consists of depressing shoulder girdle in a neutral position, shoulder abduction and lateral rotation, elbow extension, forearm supination and wrist extension. Cervical contralateral lateral flexion may be included to further increase the loading of the brachial plexus and, as a sensitizing maneuver, to differentiate structurally between neural and non-neural involvement. The ULNT1 is considered as positive when symptoms are reproduced on affected upper limb, or side-to-side differences in ROM, or symptoms modified by lateral neck side-bending. Likewise, It is also necessary to assess the EMG activity of the involved muscles to verify the early and increased protective muscle response suggested throughout the neural strain performance.

It is also necessary to assess the EMG activity of the involved muscles to verify the early and increased protective muscle response suggested throughout the neural strain performance. Design: A matched case-control observational study. Objective: to check the increased upper limb mechanosensitivity by shoulder ROM during ULNT1 and to determine, for the first time, the evoked EMG muscle activity. Participants: 62 cases who underwent breast cancer surgery and 64 matched control women. Setting: Torrejon Hospital, Physical Therapy Department, Madrid (Spain). Intervention: To record EMG muscle activity during ULNT1 performance and to measure shoulder ROM. Key outcomes: mechanosensitivity, breast cancer, pain, EMG, shoulder ROM, median nerve.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-01
• Primary Completion: 2015-04
• Study Completion: 2015-06
• Study First Submitted: 2015-09-15
• Status Verified: 2015-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-11-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-11-05
• Study First Posted: 2015-11-06
• Last Update Posted: 2015-11-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 124

Inclusion Criteria

• No undergo breast cancer.
• To be the age and the sema dominant arm than one of the cases.

Exclusion Criteria

• Current painful conditions involving their neck or dominant upper-extremity.
• Chronic pain conditions (i.e. Fibromyalgia).
• Current use of pain relievers.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Increased evoked EMG muscle activity	5 min	Intensity of the evoked muscle activity from biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles by EMG recording

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Upper limb range of motion restrictions	15 min	degrees of range of motion of three movements: shoulder abduction, shoulder external rotation and elbow flexion.