NCT01423682

The Influence of Eccentric Training on the Volume and Vascularisation of the Rotator Cuff in Patients With Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy and Healthy Subjects

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: University Ghent · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy make up a large part of the population in physiotherapy practice. The rotator cuff, a shoulder muscle group, plays an important role in causing pain. Tendons suffer large compression and friction, which can lead to degeneration of these tendons. Rehabilitation often leads to unsatisfying results. In Achilles and patella tendinopathy, a new training program called eccentric training has shown very good results. Eccentric training contains exercises during which a force has to be resisted while the muscle lengthens instead of shortens. This would have a larger influence on tendon tissue. Some small studies also show promising results of eccentric training in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy but the mechanisms behind these results remain unclear. To investigate this, 30 patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy and 30 healthy subjects will be evaluated before and immediately after performing the exercise. Three measurements will be done: ultrasonographic measurement of tendon thickness, power Doppler imaging and measurement of microcirculation around the tendon with Oxygen to see. All measurements are non-invasive, pain free and without risks for the human body.

Conditions

• Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Eccentric exercise	Patients and healthy subjects will perform an eccentric exercise during which a weight is lifted along the body and lowered with an extended arm at a slow speed. Weight is determined, based on pain in patients and based on force in healthy subjects.

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-04-01
• Primary completion: 2015-04-01
• Completion: 2015-06-01
• First posted: 2011-08-26
• Last updated: 2021-11-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium