MedPath

The Effect of Myofascial Chain Release Techniques on Shoulder Joint Range of Motion in Breast Cancer Survivors

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Breast Cancer Survivors
Interventions
Other: conventional physiotherapy
Other: Manual lymphatic drainage
Other: Myofascial relasing
Registration Number
NCT05386628
Lead Sponsor
Istanbul Medeniyet University
Brief Summary

In breast cancer patients, limitation of shoulder joint movement occurs following mastectomy surgery. Studies have reported that damage to the fascia on the pectoralis major muscle during mastectomy surgery contributes to the development of the limitation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of release techniques applied to the fascia on the pectoralis major muscle and the fascial chain on the incerasing of shoulder joint range of motion.

Detailed Description

After mastectomy, complications such as decreased range of motion and muscle strength in the shoulder joint, development of pain and tenderness, and formation of lymphedema are frequently observed. In addition to causing a significant decrease in the patient's daily life quality, shoulder limitation also negatively affects the treatment process by preventing the joint position required for radiotherapy. For this reason, it is a priority to prevent the development of shoulder joint limitations that may occur following surgery and to open the developing limitation immediately. This study was born from the idea that the relaxation techniques to be applied to regain the mobility of the fascial structure, which has been damaged and whose mobility has decreased due to breast surgery, should be performed by covering the entire myofascial chain. In addition, the investigators aim to prevent adhesions that will limit the mobility of soft tissue by minimizing scar tissue formation with early drainage of postoperative edema. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of myofascial chain relaxation techniques and manual lymphatic drainage applied to improve soft tissue mobility in the prevention and elimination of shoulder limitations after breast cancer surgery.

A total of 48 patients who agreed to participate in the study will be enrolled in the treatment program twice a week for 6 weeks. During the study, the same assessments will be applied to all patients and the cases will be evaluated 3 times (pre-treatment, post treatment, and one month post treatment). During the assessments, the physical evaluations of the patients on the shoulder region will be examined in detail using objective and subjective methods.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
48
Inclusion Criteria
  • Women between the ages of 30-60
  • Having breast surgery within 2 years
  • Not have received conservative treatment for shoulder rehabilitation in the last 6 months
  • Having limitation of movement of the shoulder joint due to breast surgery
Exclusion Criteria
  • Not having agreed to participate in the study
  • Having undergone radical mastectomy surgery
  • Having connective tissue disease
  • Presence of brachial plexus paresis/plegia
  • Presence of radiogenic fibrosis
  • Presence of additional orthopedic (scoliosis, etc.), neurological (multiple sclerosis, stroke, etc.) and rheumatological diseases (ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) that will affect upper extremity functions
  • Presence of active metastases
  • Having undergone reconstruction surgery
  • Continuation of radiotherapy (must have ended at least 3 months ago) or chemotherapy applications
  • Having had a bilateral mastectomy
  • To develop lymphedema in the arm-trunk
  • Use of muscle relaxants
  • Patients with severe chemotherapy side effects (hyperesthesia, nausea, skin changes, weakness, etc.)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
control groupconventional physiotherapyConventional physiotherapy program (joint movement exercises, local relaxation techniques, etc.) will be applied to the participants in this group.
Manual lymphatic drainage groupconventional physiotherapyIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, manual lymphatic drainage (including upper limb extremity and anterior/posterior axillar-axillar anastomoses and axilla-inguinal anastomosis) will be applied to the participants in this group.
Lymphatic drainage and myofascial releasing groupconventional physiotherapyIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, manual lymphatic drainage (including upper limb extremity and anterior/posterior axillar-axillar anastomoses and axilla-inguinal anastomosis) and myofascial chain relasing techniques will be applied to the participants in this group.
Lymphatic drainage and myofascial releasing groupMyofascial relasingIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, manual lymphatic drainage (including upper limb extremity and anterior/posterior axillar-axillar anastomoses and axilla-inguinal anastomosis) and myofascial chain relasing techniques will be applied to the participants in this group.
Myofascial relasing groupconventional physiotherapyIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, myofascial chain relasing techniques will be applied to the participants in this group.
Manual lymphatic drainage groupManual lymphatic drainageIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, manual lymphatic drainage (including upper limb extremity and anterior/posterior axillar-axillar anastomoses and axilla-inguinal anastomosis) will be applied to the participants in this group.
Lymphatic drainage and myofascial releasing groupManual lymphatic drainageIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, manual lymphatic drainage (including upper limb extremity and anterior/posterior axillar-axillar anastomoses and axilla-inguinal anastomosis) and myofascial chain relasing techniques will be applied to the participants in this group.
Myofascial relasing groupMyofascial relasingIn addition to the conventional physiotherapy program, myofascial chain relasing techniques will be applied to the participants in this group.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
assessment of activity of daily livingchanges from baseline Quick-DASH Questionnaire scores will be assessment at 6 week and 10 week

upper extremity daily living functional capacity of participation will be assessed with the Quick-DASH (Shortened Disabilities Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire). The scale consists of 11 items. In the scale, a 5-point Likert scale is evaluated and scored 1-5. The scores that can be obtained from the scale are between 0-100. Lower scores indicate better daily activity participation.

assessment of depression and anxietychanges from baseline HAD scale scores will be assessment at 6 week and 10 week

quality of life will be assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). The scale consists of 14 items (7 items depression and 7 items anxiety). The scale is evaluated on a 4-point Likert scale and is scored 0-3. Depression and anxiety scores are calculated separately. While the score range that can be taken in the lower scales is 0-21, low scores are considered positive.

measurement of passive muscle tone (Hz)changes from baseline tone values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

muscle tones will be measured with myotonPro on centers of coordination located along the myofascial chain

measurement of creep of tissuechanges from baseline creep values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

creep of tissue will be measured with myotonPro on centers of coordination located along the myofascial chain

measurement of the range of shoulder joint motionchanges from baseline range of the shoulder joint motion values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

The range of shoulder flexion, abduction, extension and external-internal rotation movements will be measured with a universal goniometer.

measurement of tissue stiffness (N/m)changes from baseline stiffness values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

Stiffness values will be measured with myotonPro on centers of coordination located along the myofascial chain .

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
measurement of painchanges from baseline pain values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

Pain will be evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS). In the scale, the patient is asked to mark the most appropriate pain intensity on a scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (tolerable pain). The higher the score, the greater the pain intensity.

measurement of skin temperaturechanges from baseline skin temperature values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

measurements will be taken from the area covering 3 cm of the surgical incision with a P45 thermographic camera with high thermal sensitivity (Flir Sistem, ThermaCAM, Sweden).

measurement of pain pressure thresholdchanges from baseline pain pressure threshold values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

Pain pressure threshold will be evaluated by a digital algometer (Algometer Commander, Jtech Medical, MM036_K, 2016).

measurement of grip strengthchanges from baseline grip strength values will be measured at 6 week and 10 week

The grip strength of both hand will be evaluated by "hand-held" dynamometer.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

İstanbul Medeniyet University

🇹🇷

Istanbul, Turkey

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath