Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Shock Wave Therapy as a Treatment Intervention for Frozen Shoulder

18 participantsStarted 2026-05

Plain-language summary

Adhesive capsulitis (AC) is a debilitating condition that causes global restriction and pain at the glenohumeral joint. Physiotherapy treatment is often first line treatment management. Patients with failed conservative management are commonly referred to a specialist consultant for further treatment. Over the last 20 years, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has gained popularity as a treatment for various orthopaedic presentations, including chronic soft tissue conditions, being non-invasive, resulting in good outcomes with minimal side effects. There is a lack of evidence on the clinical effectiveness of ESWT for chronic AC following failed conservative treatments, with the available literature reporting positive outcomes, however, with heterogeneity in treatment protocols. This proposed study aims to explore the feasibility of a full trial of ESWT as a treatment for AC using a standardised treatment protocol, and clinical effects on outcomes of pain, function and shoulder joint range of movement in persons with chronic adhesive capsulitis. A Delphi study will first explore expert opinion for the optimum treatment protocol of ESWT as a treatment for chronic AC, followed by a mixed methods explanatory sequential study that includes a pilot trial with nested qualitative interviews. The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, numerical pain rating scale, EuroQol-5D, and digital goniometer will be used to measure self-reported pain and function, pain, health-related quality of life, and shoulder joint range of movement, respectively. Quantitative data will be analysed by descriptive statistics. Qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews. Interview data will be analysed using Braun and Clarke's inductive thematic analysis approach. The study will be conducted in an out-patient clinical setting in a community health hub facility, with patients recruited from an NHS Orthopaedics waitlist. Data collection is planned over a nine month period. This study is not affiliated with funding streams.

Who can participate

Age range18 Years – 70 Years

SexALL

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Inclusion criteria

✓. Participants aged 18 years and older.
✓. Diagnosis of primary or secondary shoulder AC of a greater than three-month duration.
✓. Diagnosis of AC by an orthopaedic consultant or upper limb Advanced Practice Physiotherapist.
✓. Participants can attend an outpatient rural physiotherapy department to receive shockwave therapy intervention.
✓. They understand English.

Exclusion criteria

✕. Participants who have bilateral shoulder pain, capsular tightness, calcific rotator cuff tendinitis, rotator cuff tear (atraumatic or traumatic), previous surgery on the affected shoulder, shoulder fracture, dislocation or subluxation, glenohumeral or acromioclavicular arthritis, malignancy, inflammatory disorders, neuromuscular disorders, presence of severe osteoporosis, pulmonary diseases, implanted pacemaker and pregnancy.
✕. They have conditions related to ESWT contraindications (e.g., pregnancy, pacemaker, metal work or joint replacement near the treatment site, blood clotting disorder, use of anti-coagulants, less than six weeks of receiving a steroid injection over treatment site, malignancy, local infection or open wounds, skeletal growth places, under 18 years old).

What they're measuring

Recruitment and rejection rate

Timeframe: 18 months

Retention rate

Timeframe: 18 month

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06490172

SponsorUniversity of Stirling

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-12

Contact for this trial

Crystal Reno, MSc, DPT

+44 1786 466340 c.a.reno@stir.ac.uk

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Shoulder Pain trials