Blood Flow - an Underlying Mechanism Behind Clinical Improvements in Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome?

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Other: Exercise: local high intensity interval exercise; Other: Exercise: best clinical practice

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02701465

666

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this randomized clinical trial is two-fold. Firstly to see if patients suffering Subacromial Pain Syndrome can improve blood flow in the supraspinatus muscle in their shoulder, and secondly to investigate how changes in this blood flow are related to pain experience and shoulder function.

Enrollment: 24 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• shoulder pain for longer than three months
• clinical findings indicative of subacromial pain syndrome (evaluated by Hawkins-Kennedy sign, Neers sign, painful arch and Yokum test)
• normal passive range of motion of the shoulder

Exclusion criteria

• subjects unable to provide an informed consent
• lack of ability to complete the intervention
• full rupture of the tendon of m. supraspinatus
• planned shoulder surgery, or previous shoulder surgery on affected shoulder
• other musculoskeletal problem that could explain the symptoms
• adhesive capsulitis
• pregnancy
• rheumatoid arthritis
• symptomatic osteoarthritis of the shoulder/shoulder girdle
• glenohumeral instability
• widespread pain syndrome
• unstable underlying heart disease
• cortisone injections in the shoulder the last month
• allergies
• other serious mental or somatic disease (i.e. psychosis or active cancer disease).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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24 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

The subjects in this arm will receive four high intensity (80% of peak work rate) four-minute interval exercises for the abduction movement in the plane of the scapula (m. supraspinatus), supervised three times per week. In addition they will perform the exercise program described for the control group.

Treatment:

Other: Exercise: local high intensity interval exercise

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The control group will receive a best clinical practice home-exercise program, with regular follow-ups at the shoulder clinic every other week. The details are described in Granviken et al. (2015).

Treatment:

Other: Exercise: best clinical practice