The Immediate Effects of Soft Tissue Mobilization on Posterior Shoulder Tightness in Overhead Athletes With Subacromial Pain Syndrome

NCT07005856 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NYCU111191AF
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 54
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the immediate effects of soft tissue mobilization on shoulder mobility, pain, scapular kinematics and muscle activation and muscle Stiffness in symptomatic overhead athletes with posterior shoulder tightness.

Conditions

Posterior Shoulder Tightness; Subacromial Impingement Syndrome

Keywords

Posterior shoulder tightness; subacromial impingement

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Shoulder average pain intensity

  Pain is measured with Visual Analogue scale (VAS) Score range from 0 to 10. Scoring of 0 represents no pain and scoring of 10 represents pain as bad as it could possibly be.

  Immediately after the single session

• Shoulder passive range of motion (measured with goniometer)

  Shoulder external rotation, internal rotation, horizontal adduction range of motion in shoulder flexion 90 degrees

  Immediately after the single session

• Shoulder active range of motion (measured with goniometer)

  Shoulder external rotation, internal rotation, horizontal adduction range of motion in shoulder flexion 90 degrees

  Immediately after the single session

• Perceived improvement

  Perceived improvement was assessed through the GROC scale. Global Rating of Change (GROC) scale was used to assess the participant's perceived improvement. The scale ranges from -7 to +7, where -7 indicates a very great deal worse, 0 indicates no change, and +7 indicates a very great deal better. Higher scores reflect greater perceived improvement.

  Immediately after the single session

• Shoulder muscle stiffness

  Mean dynamic muscle stiffness (N/m) of shoulder posterior muscles (deltoid, infraspinatus, teres minor) measured by MyotonPRO

  Immediately after the single session

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Surface electromyography (TeleMyo2400T G2, Noraxon USA Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA)

  Immediately after the single session

• Scapular kinematics (degrees) during shoulder elevation measured by VIPER™ system

  Immediately after the single session

Study Arms (3)

Soft tissue mobilization group

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Soft tissue mobilization

Stretching group

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Stretching

Hot pack group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: Hot pack

Interventions

Soft tissue mobilization OTHER

Soft tissue mobilization: mobilization participants' soft tissue by using hands

Soft tissue mobilization group

Stretching OTHER

Stretching: help patients do the movement that they're limited to stretch their soft tissue

Stretching group

Hot pack OTHER

Add an hot pack on participants' shoulder

Also known as: heat therapy

Hot pack group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Amateur overhead athletes aged 18-50 years.
• Participation in overhead sports training for more than 4 hours per week.
• Playing experience of more than 3 years.
• Shoulder range of motion deficits: internal rotation range of motion (ROM) on the affected side is at least 10 degrees less than the unaffected side, and total rotational ROM (internal rotation + external rotation) is at least 5 degrees less than the unaffected side, or horizontal adduction ROM is at least 10 degrees less than the unaffected side.
• Patients with subacromial pain syndrome: diagnosis requires at least 3 out of 5 positive test results (Hawkins-Kennedy impingement test, Neer impingement test, Empty Can test, Painful Arc test, and External Rotation Resistance test).

You may not qualify if:

• Negative result on the kinetic medial rotation test.
• History of shoulder fracture, dislocation, or upper limb injury requiring surgery within the past 6 months.
• Inability to complete the experiment due to personal factors.
• Shoulder pain intensity greater than 7 points on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
• History of direct trauma to the neck or upper limb within the past month. Shoulder pain and neurological symptoms originating from the cervical spine. Contraindications to soft tissue mobilization, such as open wounds in the treatment area, skin cancer, localized infection, severe edema, vascular disorders, or acute muscle tears in the treatment area

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Taipei, Taiwan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Interventions

Diathermy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Shoulder Injuries; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hyperthermia, Induced; Therapeutics

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2025
• First Posted: June 5, 2025
• Study Start: May 15, 2024
• Primary Completion: January 15, 2025
• Study Completion: January 15, 2025
• Last Updated: June 5, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-05

Locations

TW (1)