Shoulder Muscle Massage Shoulder Stiffness

National Taiwan University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Massage Effect

Treatments: Other: massage

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01022827

200905041R

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators investigated the effect and predictors of effectiveness of massage in the treatment of patients with posterior shoulder stiffness. This is a randomized controlled trial study- massage and control (hand touch) two times a week for 4 weeks. A total of 60 patients with posterior shoulder tightness were randomized into 2 groups; 52 of them completed this study (29 for the massage and 23 for the control). Patient sex, age, body mass index, glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion (ROM), duration of symptom, functional status, and muscle stiffness were recorded. Additionally, for the massage group, patients with glenohumeral internal rotation improvement of 20 degrees after massage were considered responsive, and the others were considered nonresponsive. The influences of the aftermentioned factors on the effectiveness of massage were analyzed by multivariate logistric regression. The overall mean internal rotation ROM increased significantly after massage (from 31.9° to 54.9°; P < 0.001) compared to the control (from 28.7° to 34.9°; P > 0.05). There were 22 patients in the responsive group and 7 in the nonresponsive group. Among the factors, duration of symptoms, FLEX-SF score, and posterior deltoid stiffness were significant predictors of effectiveness of massage. Massage was an effective treatment for subjects with posterior shoulder stiffness, but was less effective in patients with longer duration of symptoms, higher functional limitation, and less posterior deltoid stiffness.

Enrollment: 52 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. a limited ROM of internal rotation (internal rotation ROM < 20% to the sound side), and
2. pain and stiffness in the shoulder region for at least 3 months.

Exclusion criteria

1. surgery on the particular shoulder,
2. rheumatoid arthritis,
3. stroke with residual shoulder involvement,
4. fracture of the shoulder complex,
5. rotator cuff deficiency, and
6. resting pain, intolerable pain, or muscle spasm during active and/or passive motion.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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52 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

posterior shoulder stiffness massage group

Experimental group

Description:

The inclusion criteria of patients with glenohumeral internal rotation limitation and posterior shoulder stiffness were: \[1\] limitation of internal rotation ROM compared to the sound side; \[2\] mild glenohumeral joint hypomobility according to joint play assessment; \[3\] stiffness in the posterior shoulder region.

Treatment:

Other: massage

posterior shoulder stiffness placebo group

Placebo Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: massage