Comparative Effects of Two Procedures for the Management of Posterior Shoulder Tightness

Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Posterior Shoulder Tightness

Treatments: Other: Cross-body stretch (CBS); Other: Mobilisation with movement (MWM)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05128448

FACCAT

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to compare the effects of a self-stretch procedures versus a clinician applied musculoskeletal procedure in individuals with posterior shoulder tightness.

Full description

Posterior shoulder mobility has been considered a contributing factor to shoulder related movement dysfunction. There is evidence indicating that posterior shoulder tightness (PST) might be present in individuals with impingement related symptoms, post-operative conditions and overhead athletes. Several studies have investigated the effects of musculoskeletal procedures (joint mobilisations and stretch) in subjects with posterior shoulder tightness (PST). This cross-over design aims to compare the differences between a well-established procedure - the crossbody stretch - versus mobilisation with movement, on range of motion and pain pressure threshold of asymptomatic individuals with unilateral PST.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Asymptomatic individuals without any history of shoulder pain necessitating medical attention.
• Presence of unilateral restriction of at least 10 degrees of internal rotation deficit during the internal rotation mobility test in 90 degrees of shoulder abduction.

Exclusion criteria

• Asymptomatic individuals that present with shoulder pain on the assessment day.
• Individuals with chronic conditions not affecting the shoulder.
• Individuals with clinical depression.
• Individuals that used analgesic and/or anti-inflammatory medication in the previous 24 hours of assessment.
• Individuals with fibromialgia.
• Individuals engaged in overhead sports.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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22 participants in 2 patient groups

Mobilisation with movement (MWM)

Experimental group

Description:

With the participant standing, the restricted shoulder will rest on the clinician's shoulder in the following starting position: 90 degrees of glenohumeral abduction and 90 degrees of elbow flexion and hand holding a treatment belt. The belt will loop around the clinician and patient and will be held by the participant's contralateral hand. The clinician will apply and sustain a pain free caudal or posterolateralcaudal humeral head mobilisation force (whichever is more comfortable to the subject), followed by an active internal rotation (IR) performed by the patient. The IR movement will be performed to a pain free end of range. If possible, an overpressure with be requested, this is achieved by pulling the belt with the contralateral hand. The overpressure should not produce pain, if it does, it will not be performed. 3 sets of 8 repetitions will be applied, sustaining the end of available range for 2 seconds. An interval of 45 seconds will be respected amongst the repetitions.

Treatment:

Other: Mobilisation with movement (MWM)

Cross-body stretch

Active Comparator group

Description:

With the participant standing, the restricted shoulder will be self-stretched by conducting a horizontal adduction in 90 degrees of shoulder flexion to a level tolerated by the participant. This position will be held for thirty seconds and repeated four times. An interval of forty five seconds will be respected amongst the repetitions.

Treatment:

Other: Cross-body stretch (CBS)