The Immediate Effects of Soft Tissue Mobilization on Shoulder Mobility, Pain, Scapular Kinematics and Muscle Activation and Muscle Stiffness in Symptomatic Overhead Athletes With Posterior Shoulder Tightness
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Enrollment
- 54
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Shoulder passive range of motion (measured with goniometer)
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to investigate the immediate effects of soft tissue mobilization on shoulder mobility, pain, scapular kinematics and muscle activation and muscle Stiffness in symptomatic overhead athletes with posterior shoulder tightness.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 50 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Amateur overhead athletes aged 18-50 years.
- •Participation in overhead sports training for more than 4 hours per week.
- •Playing experience of more than 3 years.
- •Shoulder range of motion deficits: internal rotation range of motion (ROM) on the affected side is at least 10 degrees less than the unaffected side, and total rotational ROM (internal rotation + external rotation) is at least 5 degrees less than the unaffected side, or horizontal adduction ROM is at least 10 degrees less than the unaffected side.
- •Patients with subacromial pain syndrome: diagnosis requires at least 3 out of 5 positive test results (Hawkins-Kennedy impingement test, Neer impingement test, Empty Can test, Painful Arc test, and External Rotation Resistance test).
Exclusion Criteria
- •Negative result on the kinetic medial rotation test.
- •History of shoulder fracture, dislocation, or upper limb injury requiring surgery within the past 6 months.
- •Inability to complete the experiment due to personal factors.
- •Shoulder pain intensity greater than 7 points on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
- •History of direct trauma to the neck or upper limb within the past month. Shoulder pain and neurological symptoms originating from the cervical spine. Contraindications to soft tissue mobilization, such as open wounds in the treatment area, skin cancer, localized infection, severe edema, vascular disorders, or acute muscle tears in the treatment area
Arms & Interventions
Stretching group
Intervention: Stretching (Other)
Soft tissue mobilization group
Intervention: Soft tissue mobilization (Other)
Hot pack group
Intervention: Hot pack (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Shoulder passive range of motion (measured with goniometer)
Time Frame: Immediately after the single session
Shoulder external rotation, internal rotation, horizontal adduction range of motion in shoulder flexion 90 degrees
Shoulder active range of motion (measured with goniometer)
Time Frame: Immediately after the single session
Shoulder external rotation, internal rotation, horizontal adduction range of motion in shoulder flexion 90 degrees
Perceived improvement
Time Frame: Immediately after the single session
Perceived improvement was assessed through the GROC scale. Global Rating of Change (GROC) scale was used to assess the participant's perceived improvement. The scale ranges from -7 to +7, where -7 indicates a very great deal worse, 0 indicates no change, and +7 indicates a very great deal better. Higher scores reflect greater perceived improvement.
Shoulder muscle stiffness
Time Frame: Immediately after the single session
Mean dynamic muscle stiffness (N/m) of shoulder posterior muscles (deltoid, infraspinatus, teres minor) measured by MyotonPRO
Shoulder average pain intensity
Time Frame: Immediately after the single session
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.
Secondary Outcomes
- Surface electromyography (TeleMyo2400T G2, Noraxon USA Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA)(Immediately after the single session)
- Scapular kinematics (degrees) during shoulder elevation measured by VIPER™ system(Immediately after the single session)