NCT03416556

Manual Therapy in Chronic Shoulder Pain Treatment

The Initial Effects on Pain, Pain Sensitivity, Range of Motion and Muscle Strength of an Anteroposterior Mobilization of the Glenohumeral Joint in Overhead Athletes With Chronic Shoulder Pain

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 31 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Alcala · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Background: Passive oscillatory mobilizations are often employed by physiotherapists to reduce shoulder pain and increase function. However, there is little data about the neurophysiological effects of these mobilizations. Objectives: To investigate the initial effects of an anteroposterior (AP) shoulder joint mobilization on measures of pain and function in overhead athletes with chronic shoulder pain.

Detailed description

Design: Double-blind, controlled, within-subjects repeated-measures design Method: Thirty-one overhead athletes with chronic shoulder pain participated. The effects of a 9-min, AP mobilization of the glenohumeral joint were compared with manual contact and no-contact interventions. Pressure pain threshold (PPT), range of movement (ROM), muscle strength, self-reported pain, and disability were measured immediately before and after each intervention.

Conditions

• Shoulder Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Mobilization to the glenohumeral joint	The treatment condition consisted on the application of a passive rhythmic AP mobilization to the glenohumeral joint of the affected shoulder. In particular, a Grade III AP glide to the humeral head with the arm positioned in 90º of glenohumeral abduction and full internal rotation was used. The posterior gliding force to the humeral head was applied maintaining the glide at right angles to the plane of movement and at a frequency of 2 Hz which was controlled by means of a metronome. The arm was returned to its original position between each set.
PROCEDURE	The manual contact condition	During the manual contact condition the therapist positioned the patient in a mid-range position of glenohumeral abduction and internal rotation and applied the hands to the same contact point as in the treatment condition. However, a simulated posterior glide was performed but with minimal pressure actually applied. The number of repetitions and sets were as per the treatment condition.
OTHER	No-contact condition	During the no-contact condition, the subject remained in the initial starting position thorough the entire session but there was no manual contact between the therapist and the participant. The total treatment time was the same as per the other conditions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-02-15
• Primary completion: 2018-03-15
• Completion: 2018-03-15
• First posted: 2018-01-31
• Last updated: 2018-03-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain