Effects of Spencer's Technique on Shoulder Function

Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Shoulder

Treatments: Other: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment-Spencer's Technique (Modified); Other: Rest

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06447493

2023-061

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to see the impact of a modified Spencer's technique on tissue stiffness, mobility, and blood flow of the shoulder joint. Spencer's technique is a well-known osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) that is common for treating adhesive capsulitis and is believed to help blood flow. There are studies that look at the clinical effects of the technique and/or compare it to other techniques; however, measuring the extent to which Spencer's technique, or this modified technique, improves tissue stiffness and blood flow has never been written in the literature. This study will serve as a proof of concept that this technique improves tissue stiffness, blood flow, and mobility of the shoulder join as well as the nearby areas. Using ultrasound, the investigators will measure tissue stiffness and blood flow and will analyze the mobility of the shoulder joint using a Vicon motion capture system.

Enrollment: 20 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• male and female subjects 18-50 years old

Exclusion criteria

• prior shoulder surgery or injury to the reported dominant throwing arm
• shoulder pain in the reported dominant throwing arm within the last 6 months
• diagnosis cervical radiculopathy or pinched nerve in the neck
• connective tissue or muscle disorders
• known pregnancy
• tobacco use
• known diabetes or prediabetes
• allergy to ultrasound gel (propylene glycol)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

OMT Intervention, then Rest

Experimental group

Description:

10 subjects will be randomized to begin with the dominant shoulder. Investigators will measure baseline outcomes on the dominant shoulder, apply OMT treatment, measure post treatment outcomes on dominant shoulder, a 5-minute rest period as a washout period, then proceed to measure baseline measures on non-dominant shoulder, a rest that is equivalent to the time needed for OMT treatment, ending with post measurements on the non-dominant shoulder.

Treatment:

Other: Rest

Other: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment-Spencer's Technique (Modified)

Rest, then OMT Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

10 subjects will be randomized to begin with the non-dominant shoulder. Investigators will measure baseline outcomes on the non-dominant shoulder, a rest period equivalent to the time needed for OMT treatment, measure post treatment outcomes on non-dominant shoulder, a 5-minute rest period as a washout period, then proceed to measure baseline measures on dominant shoulder, provide OMT treatment, ending with post measurements on the dominant shoulder.

Treatment:

Other: Rest

Other: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment-Spencer's Technique (Modified)