NCT06677450

Effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education in Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 42 (actual)
• Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 40 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of pain neuroscience education added to exercise on pain intensity, disability, pain threshold, pain catastrophizing, pain beliefs, pain knowledge, and quality of life in rotator cuff related shoulder pain.

Detailed description

Shoulder pain associated with rotator cuff injuries is a common clinical condition, with a global prevalence of 20.7%. Its etiology is multifaceted, and it is often reported that pain does not align with findings from diagnostic imaging. Recent studies have indicated that psychological factors, such as central sensitization and pain beliefs, play a significant role in patients with shoulder pain. Although exercise is recommended as the first-line treatment, approximately 50% of patients return with persistent pain complaints 6 to 12 months later. Treatments focused on the local tissue pathology-pain model are inadequate in addressing more complex and chronic pain issues related to central sensitization and neuroplasticity. There is a need for an approach that aims to desensitize the nervous system by focusing on neurophysiology and the representation and meaning of pain, rather than a traditional biomedical model. Pain neuroscience education is a treatment strategy that offers patients the opportunity to reconceptualize their ideas about pain, thereby changing negative beliefs and misconceptions regarding it. Recent literature has provided strong evidence that pain neuroscience education can alter pain intensity, pain knowledge, disability, and pain behaviors in patients with musculoskeletal pain. However, studies investigating patients' perceptions of pain neuroscience education in relation to rotator cuff related shoulder pain and the feasibility of implementing such education have emerged. Despite the limited existing evidence, the efficacy of pain neuroscience education combined with exercise for individuals with rotator cuff related shoulder pain has not been supported by a randomized controlled trial, indicating a need for further research in this area. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of pain neuroscience education, applied in addition to exercise, on pain intensity, disability, pain threshold, pain catastrophizing, pain beliefs, pain knowledge, and quality of life in individuals with rotator cuff related shoulder pain. Patients with rotator cuff related shoulder pain the ages of 40 and 65 will be randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (pain neuroscience education + exercise) and Group 2 (exercise). Interventions will be applied for 12 sessions (twice a week for 6 weeks). The patients will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the 6-week intervention. After the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were evaluated with the demographic information form, pain intensity will be evaluated with the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), disability with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), pressure pain threshold with the Algometer, pain catastrophizing with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, pain beliefs with the Pain Beliefs Scale, change in pain knowledge with the Revised Pain Neurophysiology Scale, quality of life with the Short Form-12 (SF-12), and patient satisfaction with the Global Change Rating Scale.

Conditions

• Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain
• Impingement Syndrome
• Shoulder Tendinopathy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Pain neuoroscience education	Pain neurosicence education will be applied 1 day / 6 weeks at the beginning of one of the weekly exercise sessions in addition to the exercise program. The educations will include the definition and general characteristics of pain, pain physiology, peripheral neuropathic pain, the role of the brain in pain perception, tissue healing, peripheral and central sensitization, the effects of emotional, psychological and social factors on the pain process and pain coping strategies.
OTHER	Exercise	Exercise program will be applied 2 days/week for 6 weeks and will consist of 3-phase stretching and motor control/progressive resistance exercises.
OTHER	Exercise	Exercise program will be applied 2 days/week for 6 weeks and will consist of 3-phase stretching and motor control/progressive resistance exercises.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-01
• Primary completion: 2025-11-01
• Completion: 2025-11-01
• First posted: 2024-11-06
• Last updated: 2025-11-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)