Scapulothoracic Joint Mobilization With or Without Acromioclavicular Joint Mobilization in Sub-acromial Pain Syndrome

NCT07331597 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: REC/RCR & AHS/24/0185
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

the study was conducted to find out the effects of scapulothoracic joint mobilization with or without acromioclavicular joint mobilization in patients with sub-acromial pain syndrome.

Conditions

Subacromial Pain Syndrome

Keywords

Pain; Scapulothoracic Joint Mobilization; Acromioclavicular Joint Mobilization

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Numeric Pain Rating scale

  this scale is used to evaluate pain. it consists of 11 points from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain, 1-3 represents mild pain, 4-6 moderate pain and 7-10 represents severe pain.

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment

• Shoulder Pain and Disability Index SPADI

  this questionnaire consisting of 13 items is used to assess the severity of pain and difficulty while performing daily life activities. two subscales for pain and disability. uses a visual Analog scale or Numeric rating scale for each item, resulting in scores from 0-100 for each sub-scale, with higher scores indicating more pain or disability.

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• goniometer for shoulder flexion ROM

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment

• Goniometer for shoulder extension ROM

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment

• Goniometer for shoulder abduction ROM

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment sessions

• Goniometer for shoulder adduction ROM

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment

• Goniometer for shoulder external rotation ROM

  from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment

Study Arms (2)

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization with acromioclavicular joint mobilization

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization; Other: Acromioclavicular joint mobilization; Other: Standard physiotherapy treatment

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization; Other: Standard physiotherapy treatment

Interventions

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization OTHER

during 1st week of treatment, patients received Maitland grade-II mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. during 2nd, 3rd and 4rth week, patients received grade- II and III Maitland mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization; Scapulothoracic joint mobilization with acromioclavicular joint mobilization

Acromioclavicular joint mobilization OTHER

during 1st week : Maitland grade-II mobilization for AC joint inferior glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. during 2nd, 3rd and 4rth week : Maitland grade-II, III for AC joint inferior glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks.

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization with acromioclavicular joint mobilization

Standard physiotherapy treatment OTHER

Moist hot pack for 10-15 minutes on shoulder region in supine lying position. TENS modulated mode for 10 minutes. Scapular stabilization exercises including: scapular protraction and retraction, shoulder extension, shoulder external rotation, standing snow angels, standing weight shift, ball stabilization exercise, serratus anterior punch. 3 sets with 10 repetitions, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks.

Scapulothoracic joint mobilization; Scapulothoracic joint mobilization with acromioclavicular joint mobilization

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 25 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 25 - 40 years
• Genders both male and female
• Patients having unilateral non-traumatic shoulder pain
• Patients having pain for ≥ 3 months
• According to Dutch Orthopedic Association Clinical Practice Guidelines 2 out of following 3 tests should be positive i.e. Hawkin's kennedy test, Painful arc test, and Infraspinatus resistance test
• Positive scapular assistance test
• Positive AC joint scarf test

You may not qualify if:

• Patients having bilateral shoulder pain
• Younger than 25 and older than 40 years
• With positive drop arm test for supraspinatus tears
• Degenerative joint disease of shoulder
• Patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder
• Having history of shoulder fracture and dislocation
• Patients diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy (19)
• Having history of shoulder or neck surgery (19)
• Patients who had steroid injections in shoulder joint in the past 6 months
• Patients having other neurological, orthopedic and systemic problems affecting the shoulder, neck and back

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dr.Sheharyar Tanveer Clinic Sharaq pur

Sheikhupura, Punjab Province, 39460, Pakistan

Location

Related Publications (10)

• de Miguel Valtierra L, Salom Moreno J, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Cleland JA, Arias-Buria JL. Ultrasound-Guided Application of Percutaneous Electrolysis as an Adjunct to Exercise and Manual Therapy for Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pain. 2018 Oct;19(10):1201-1210. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.04.017. Epub 2018 May 16.

  PMID: 29777953 BACKGROUND

• Park SJ, Kim SH, Kim SH. Effects of Thoracic Mobilization and Extension Exercise on Thoracic Alignment and Shoulder Function in Patients with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2020 Sep 2;8(3):316. doi: 10.3390/healthcare8030316.

  PMID: 32887287 BACKGROUND

• Ekici G, Özcan Ş, Öztürk BY, Öztürk B, Ekici B. Effects of deep friction massage and dry needling therapy on night pain and shoulder internal rotation in subacromial pain syndrome: 1-year follow up of a randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Therapy And Rehabilitation. 2021;28(2):1-12.

  BACKGROUND

• Sharma S, Ejaz Hussain M, Sharma S. Effects of exercise therapy plus manual therapy on muscle activity, latency timing and SPADI score in shoulder impingement syndrome. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2021 Aug;44:101390. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101390. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

  PMID: 33901859 BACKGROUND

• Sharma S, Ghrouz AK, Hussain ME, Sharma S, Aldabbas M, Ansari S. Progressive Resistance Exercises plus Manual Therapy Is Effective in Improving Isometric Strength in Overhead Athletes with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Biomed Res Int. 2021 Jun 30;2021:9945775. doi: 10.1155/2021/9945775. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 34307681 BACKGROUND

• Dunning J, Butts R, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Walsh S, Goult C, Gillett B, Arias-Buria JL, Garcia J, Young IA. Spinal Manipulation and Electrical Dry Needling in Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021 Feb;51(2):72-81. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2021.9785. Epub 2020 Aug 28.

  PMID: 32857944 BACKGROUND

• Lyng KD, Andersen JD, Jensen SL, Olesen JL, Arendt-Nielsen L, Madsen NK, Petersen KK. The influence of exercise on clinical pain and pain mechanisms in patients with subacromial pain syndrome. Eur J Pain. 2022 Oct;26(9):1882-1895. doi: 10.1002/ejp.2010. Epub 2022 Jul 27.

  PMID: 35852027 BACKGROUND

• Mohammed AH, Mahmoud NA, Abd El-Naeem MA, Abd El-Azeim AS. Efficacy of the Mulligan technique on subacromial space in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. Physiotherapy Quarterly. 2024;32(3).

  BACKGROUND

• Celik EB, Tuncer A. Comparing the Efficacy of Manual Therapy and Exercise to Synchronized Telerehabilitation with Self-Manual Therapy and Exercise in Treating Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 May 24;12(11):1074. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12111074.

  PMID: 38891149 BACKGROUND

• Tauqeer S, Arooj A, Shakeel H. Effects of manual therapy in addition to stretching and strengthening exercises to improve scapular range of motion, functional capacity and pain in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024 Mar 2;25(1):192. doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-07294-4.

  PMID: 38431547 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Saba Rafiq, MS-OMPT

  Riphah International University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 29, 2025
• First Posted: January 12, 2026
• Study Start: January 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: July 10, 2025
• Study Completion: November 20, 2025
• Last Updated: February 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)