Electrical Stimulation + Exercise for Shoulder Pain
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether adding functional electrical stimulation (FES) to a shoulder exercise program improves how the shoulder muscles work together in older adults with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. FES uses small electrical currents delivered through pads on the skin to help muscles contract.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does exercise combined with FES improve coordination between the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles more than exercise alone?
2. Does exercise combined with FES increase the space between the top of the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade (acromiohumeral distance), which may reduce pinching of the shoulder tendons?
Researchers will compare a group that receives resistance exercise with FES to a group that receives the same resistance exercise without FES.
Participants will:
1. Attend exercise sessions 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions)
2. Complete 4 testing visits: before training, after 2 weeks, after 4 weeks, and 4 weeks after training ends
3. At each testing visit, perform shoulder strength tasks while muscle activity is recorded with sensors on the skin and thin wire sensors placed in the muscle, have an ultrasound of the shoulder, and complete questionnaires about shoulder pain and function
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for older adults who have shoulder pain related to rotator cuff problems or shoulder impingement. Participants should be able to attend exercise sessions and testing visits, and not have other major health issues that would prevent safe participation.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Functional Electrical Stimulation
- Progressive Resistance Training
Trial Overview
The study compares two groups: one does resistance exercises with functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the shoulder muscles, while the other does the same exercises but receives sham (inactive) FES. The goal is to see if adding FES improves muscle coordination and reduces tendon pinching.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Participants perform a standardized 3-phase progressive resistance training program 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions, 20-30 minutes each) while receiving functional electrical stimulation (NEUBIE stimulator) to the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles (40 Hz, 0.46 ms pulse width, maximum comfortable intensity).
Participants perform the same standardized 3-phase progressive resistance training program 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions, 20-30 minutes each). Stimulation electrodes are placed over the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles using the same setup procedure as the FES group, but the NEUBIE stimulator intensity is set to 0, so no electrical current is delivered.
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Lisa Griffin
Lead Sponsor
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