Exercise Into Pain in Chronic Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain: a Prospective Single-Group Feasibility Study

Universiteit Antwerpen12 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a) the feasibility of applying a painful exercise program in the treatment of subacromial shoulder pain and b) the time needed to collect clinical outcomes for a future randomized controlled trial.

Exercise therapy is the first choice of treatment in the management of subacromial shoulder pain (SSP). Guidelines suggest active rehabilitation program for at least three months and existing research highlights the importance of progressive loaded exercise therapy at higher dosage. However, it is not clear which is the best type of exercise and if pain should be provoked during exercise. Recent research found that painful exercises are beneficial in short term on pain and function in patients with different kinds of chronic musculoskeletal pain. The aim of the future randomized clinical trial is to investigate if "exercising into pain" gives better results in term of clinical outcomes compared to a non-painful exercise program. Since the intervention consists in painful exercises, it is essential to test the rate of adherence in the intervention group (both during physiotherapist-led session and home-based exercises). Moreover, the practicability of clinical questionnaire via online survey will be tested and the time needed to collect clinical data will be calculated as well. Furthermore, feedback from physiotherapists and participants will be collected and analyzed.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Interventions

Exercise therapy (exercising into pain)OTHER

The intervention consists of 12 weeks of progressive loaded exercises, three times per week. There are 9 sessions of supervised physiotherapy treatment, lasting 30 minutes, while the rest of the sessions is conducted as home exercises. There are 4 strengthening exercises, in which the pain allowed ranges between 4 and 7 on a verbal NPRS for 9 weeks, then pain ratings are 0-2 for the remaining 3 weeks. Every physiotherapy session includes also 15 minutes of manual therapy.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-65 years * Shoulder pain for at least 3 months * Pain in the antero-lateral shoulder region * At least 3 out of 5 of the following tests positive: Neer test, Hawkins-Kennedy, Jobe, painful arc between 60° and 120°, external resistance test * Resting pain should be at 2/10 maximum on verbal NRS scale * All types of occupations were included: students, workers (including overhead workers or heavy duty workers), people on sick leave and retired people Exclusion Criteria: * Bilateral shoulder pain * Corticosteroid injections 6 weeks prior to the study * Pregnancy, inability to understand spoken or written Dutch * Clinical signs of full-thickness rotator cuff tears (positive external and internal rotation lag tests and drop arm test) * Evidence of adhesive capsulitis (50% or more than 30° loss of passive external rotation) * Previous cervical, thoracic or shoulder surgery; recent fractures or dislocations on the painful shoulder * Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy as primary complaint (tingling, radiating pain in the arm associated with neck complaints) * Primary diagnosis of acromioclavicular pathology, shoulder instability * A radiologically confirmed fracture or presence of calcification larger than 5 mm * Presence of competing pathologies (inflammatory arthritis, neurological disorders, fibromyalgia, malignancy) * More than 4h of training in sport overhead shoulder activities per week

Locations (1)

Physiotherapy private practices

Antwerp, Belgium

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Rate of Adherence (Physiotherapy Session)

It is analysed in terms of attendance to the physiotherapist-led sessions. Good level of adherence is defined by attendance of 7/9 (78%) of physiotherapist led-sessions

Time frame: measurement every session, final measure at the end of 12 weeks

Rate of Adherence (Adherence Home Exercises)

It is analysed in terms of adherence to home exercises. Good level of adherence is achieved when patients completed at least 22 of 27 (81%) sessions. One session of non-supervised (home) exercise was considered completed when at least 80% of the total amount of sets and repetitions were executed as prescribed by the physiotherapist.

Time frame: measurement every home exercise session, final measure at the end of 12 weeks

Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)

There are 13 items, divided in two subscales: pain (5 items) and function (8 items). Each item is scored from 0 (no pain/no difficulty) to 10 (worst imaginable pain/so difficult it requires help) on a NPRS. The final score is a percentage derived from an average of the two subscales, where higher score means worse outcome.

Time frame: value at baseline minus value at 12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ-PA)

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Subscale Physical Activity (range: 0-24) Higher scores indicate higher fear-avoidance beliefs

Time frame: value at baseline minus value at 12 weeks

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ-W)

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Subscale Work (range: 0-42) Higher scores indicate higher fear-avoidance beliefs

Time frame: value at baseline minus value at 12 weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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