NCT07240129

Effect of Graded Motor Imagery on Shoulder Dysfunction Post Mastectomy

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 54 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cairo University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 35 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

One of the most common complications after breast cancer surgery is a functional limitation of the upper body. Up to 67% of breast cancer patients experience arm or shoulder impairment, including pain, numbness, loss of strength, and reduced ROM, after surgery. Graded motor imagery is effective in reducing pain interference with function using a graded sequence of strategies including left/right judgements (implicit motor imagery), imagined movements (explicit motor imagery) and mirror therapy.

Detailed description

54 female patients who have shoulder dysfunction post-mastectomy will participate in this study. Their ages will be ranged 35 to 55 years. In this study the patients will be randomly assigned into two equal groups (27 patients for each group): 1. Group A (study group): This group includes 27 patients who will receive graded motor imagery (GMI) along with the conventional physiotherapy (It will include exercise like codman's pendulum exercises in flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and circular motion, active assisted ROM exercises with a wand, capsular stretching, wall ladder, and shoulder wheel exercises). GMI is consists of a three-step process. Each step of will be carried out for two weeks, for 30 minutes on two separate days, for total 6 weeks. 2. Group B (control group): This group includes 27 patients who will receive conventional physiotherapy treatment for improving ROM and decreasing pain. It will include exercise like codman's pendulum exercises in flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and circular motion, active assisted ROM exercises with a wand, capsular stretching, wall ladder, and shoulder wheel exercises, 2 times / week for 6 weeks.

Conditions

• Shoulder Dysfunction

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Graded Motor Imagery (GMI)	1. Left/right judgements: It includes left/right judgments of photographs that depict the affected area. 2. Imagined movements: Movement visualizations will be performed. 3. Mirror therapy: It includes observation of the movements of unaffected body part in the mirror, 2 times / week for 6 weeks.
OTHER	Physical therapy program	It will include exercise like codman's pendulum exercises in flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and circular motion, active assisted ROM exercises with a wand, capsular stretching, wall ladder, and shoulder wheel exercises, 2 times / week for 6 weeks.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-04-30
• Primary completion: 2026-04-30
• Completion: 2026-04-30
• First posted: 2025-11-20
• Last updated: 2025-11-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt