Structure and Function of the Upper Trapezius and Its Role in Chronic Shoulder Pain: an Investiga… (NCT06472349) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Structure and Function of the Upper Trapezius and Its Role in Chronic Shoulder Pain: an Investigation of Kinematics, Morphology, Muscle Quality and Activation Distribution
Taiwan100 participantsStarted 2023-12-12
Plain-language summary
Prior research has explored factors influencing muscle activation, including muscle thickness, fear avoidance beliefs (kinesiophobia), and somatosensory integration. In individuals with chronic shoulder pain, various characteristics impacting symptoms and treatment outcomes have been identified, such as psychosocial factors, fear avoidance, central sensitization, somatosensory impairments, and brain morphology changes. These shared characteristics affecting both muscle activation and chronic shoulder pain may potentially modulate upper trapezius muscle activation during functional movements in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Notably, there remains a gap in the literature concerning investigations into the upper trapezius muscle's morphology and quality, fear avoidance, central sensitization, somatosensory impairments, and their interplay with upper trapezius muscle activation in chronic shoulder pain patients.
To address these gaps, this study aims to: this study aims to: 1) compare different methods of measuring clavicular kinematics using an electromagnetic tracking system; 2) establish the reliability and validity of measuring muscle thickness and fat infiltration through ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging; 3) compare shoulder kinematics, muscle activation, muscle morphology, and muscle fat infiltration in individuals with chronic shoulder pain with matched healthy controls; 4) explore the correlation between the factors that may influence upper trapezius muscle activation, including basic data of the subjects, muscle morphology, and muscle fat infiltration.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 50 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Chronic shoulder pain group
* 18-50 years old18-50 years old
* unilateral and non-traumatic shoulder pain
* pain duration longer than 3 months
* pain intensity more than VAS=2 during movement
* presence 3 of 5 positive pain provocation tests: Hawkins-Kennedy test, Jobe test, or Neer's test Painful Arc, and Resistance Test against External Rotation.
* Healthy control group
* presenting no shoulder pain at rest or during daily activities
* negative results of the pain provocation test: Hawkins-Kennedy test, Jobe test, Neer's test, Painful Arc, Resistance Test against External Rotation and Spurling's neck compression test.
Exclusion Criteria:
\- Chronic shoulder pain group
* history of significant shoulder trauma, such as fracture or ultrasonography clinically suspected full thickness cuff tear
* recent shoulder dislocation in the last 2 years
* diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis characterized by a gradual and painful loss of both active and passive ROM in all shoulder planes, primarily external rotation
* shoulder pain originating from the cervical spine by using Spurling's neck compression test
* shoulder pain owing to the following disorders: arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis of shoulder complex), neurologic (e.g., stroke), neoplastic (e.g., breast cancer). and/or referred pain (e.g., visceral referred pain)
* corticoid injections over the shoulder during 6 months prior to the study
* history of shoulder and neck sur…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.