The Effectiveness of Graston Tecnique Compared to Traditional Physiotherapy to Improve Range of Motion After Arthroscopic Cuff Repair.

NCT05315440 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 0002771
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 41
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In shoulder rehabilitation after arthroscopic cuff repair, one of first objectives coincides with improving the range of passive movement: this process often requires considerable time of both patients and physiotherapists. This study aims to verify whether it is useful to add instruments assisted soft-tissue mobilization according to Graston Tecnique to the classic rehabilitation protocol in order to accelerate recovery times of passive range of motion.

Conditions

Cuff Tear Arthropathy

Keywords

shoulder rehabilitation; range of motion; rotator cuff repair; instrument assisted soft tissue mobilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Passive Range of Motion Recovery of the Shoulder

  Passive Range of Motion Recovery of the Shoulder in elevation and abduction measured by digital inclinometer

  after 2 weeks of treatment

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Reduction of pain measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)

  after 2 weeks of treatment

• Shoulder function improvement measured by Constant Murley and Dash scales

  after 2 weeks of treatment

Study Arms (2)

control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The treatment of control group will be organized according to the classic protocol currently in use in our Institute which consists of: 30 minutes of passive and active assisted mobilization guided by the therapist, 30 min of Continous passive movement in flexion and abduction and 30 minutes of electrostimulation.

Other: Conventional rehabilitation

experimental group

EXPERIMENTAL

30 minutes of passive and active assisted mobilization guided by the therapist associated with instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, 30 min of Continous passive movement in flexion and abduction and 30 minutes of electrostimulation.

Other: graston tecnique

Interventions

graston tecnique OTHER

Graston technique involves the use of steel tools that are used non-invasively on the skin to identify and treat areas that have stiffness or inflammation. These areas can be located with greater precision than the manual technique precisely because the instruments do not compress in contact with the patient's skin, as is the case with the physiotherapist's fingertips. Thanks to the instruments it is therefore possible to detect the areas of altered consistency and to treat them by pressing a minimum pressure.

Also known as: instrument soft tissue mobilization

experimental group

Conventional rehabilitation OTHER

30 minutes of passive and active assisted mobilization guided by the therapist, 30 min of Continous passive movement in flexion and abduction and 30 minutes of electrostimulation.

control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
• partial lesion due to tendon degeneration (1 or 2 anchors reparation)

You may not qualify if:

• traumatic tendon lesions
• associated conditions as arthritis, loss of superficial sensitivity, loss of muscle tone, mental impairment, oncological conditions
• shoulder stiffness before surgery due to calcific tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli

Bologna, BO, 40136, Italy

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Tear Arthropathy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chondrocalcinosis; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Crystal Arthropathies

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: outcome assessor doesn't know allocation concealment
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2021
• First Posted: April 7, 2022
• Study Start: November 12, 2020
• Primary Completion: January 31, 2025
• Study Completion: February 21, 2025
• Last Updated: July 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

IT (1)