Strength Training and Proprioceptive Stimulation on Pain, Function, Quality of Life, Sleep Quality, and Psychosocial Factors in Older Adults With Shoulder Pain

University of Jaén80 enrolled

Overview

A single-blind randomized clinical trial with a pretest posttest design is proposed in adults over 60 years of age with chronic shoulder pain due to rotator cuff involvement. Participants will be divided into an experimental group that will receive a multi-joint strength exercise program along with proprioceptive somatosensory stimulation plus conventional treatment for 12 weeks and a control group that will only receive conventional treatment. Assessments will be performed at the beginning and end of the intervention by measuring pain with the NPRS and BPI SF scales, psychosocial factors with PCS FABQ PVAQ and TSK 11, functional disability with the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire, sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Index, and physical function with the Back Scratch Test, goniometry and inclinometer, shoulder dynamometry, and manual grip. It is expected that the combined intervention will significantly improve pain, associated psychosocial factors, quality of life, sleep, and functional capacity of participants.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Shoulder Pain

Interventions

The study includes two intervention modalities. The experimental group will combine conventional treatment with a structured 12-week therapeutic exercise program, with two supervised group sessions per week (50-60 minutes), which will include proprioceptive somatosensory work, multi-joint strength exercises, and adapted specific movements. Progression will be individually adjusted based on each participant's pain tolerance, physical condition, and clinical progress, complemented by home activities and supporting educational materials. The control group will receive only conventional treatment provided at their rehabilitation center and general guidelines on the benefits of physical activity according to WHO recommendations for people over 60 years of age.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * People over 60 years of age. * Be able to understand the instructions and answer the questionnaires designed for this study, as well as participate in the established physical tests. * People with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCSRP) of at least 3 months' duration. * Sign informed consent to participate in the study. * Possible medical diagnoses to categorize you as RCSRP: * Subacromial syndrome or subacromial pain syndrome. * Subacromial impingement. * Rotator cuff tendinopathy/tendinitis/tendinosis. * Subdeltoid/subacromial bursitis. * Non-traumatic partial tears of a rotator cuff tendon affecting less than 50% of the tendon thickness. * Mild/moderate intrasubstance rotator cuff tears. Exclusion Criteria: * Complete/massive rotator cuff tears. * Corticosteroid injections within the last 6 weeks. * Recent surgery on that shoulder or planned surgery within the next 3 months. * Bilateral shoulder pain. * Presence of glenohumeral fractures or osteoarthritis confirmed by radiographic examination. * Psychiatric illnesses or central or peripheral neurological disorders that make it difficult to grasp, cooperate, or follow instructions during the procedure. * Individuals with an absolute contraindication to moderate-to-high-intensity physical exercise based on prior medical testing. * Presence of severe difficulties with gait, balance, or functional activity, or hearing or vestibular disorders that prevent the performance of the prescribed exercises. * Visual disturbances that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. * Being enrolled in another physical exercise or treatment program during the study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

The NPRS is an 11-point numeric scale (0-10) used to assess pain intensity. Participants indicate their current level of pain, with 0 representing "no pain" and 10 representing "worst imaginable pain." It will be applied to capture the sensory-discriminative dimension of pain.