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Immediate effect of myofascial trigger points therapy in patients with unilateral shoulder impingement syndrome

Effectiveness of myofascial trigger point therapy combined with corticosteroid injection versus myofascial trigger point therapy or corticosteroid injection alone on pain, pressure pain sensitivity, shoulder range of motion, shoulder function, and motor control in patients with unilateral shoulder impingement syndrome

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ANZCTR
Registry ID
ACTRN12617000044325
Enrollment
60
Registered
2017-01-10
Start date
2016-08-08
Completion date
2017-05-01
Last updated
2018-12-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

To investigate whether myofascial trigger point therapy combined with corticosteroid injection is more effective than myofascial trigger point therapy or corticosteroid injection alone on pain, pressure pain sensitivity, shoulder range of motion, shoulder function, and shoulder motor control ability in patients with SIS

Interventions

1. The trigger point therapy group will receive one session of myofascial trigger point therapy by an experienced physiotherapist. Treatment process will be repeated 3 times on each active/latent trigger point in seven following muscles: upper trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboids, pectoralis minors, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minors. Pressure on each trigger point will be maintained for 30-60 seconds (<1 minute), The whole treatment lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. These procedures ar

1. The trigger point therapy group will receive one session of myofascial trigger point therapy by an experienced physiotherapist. Treatment process will be repeated 3 times on each active/latent trigger point in seven following muscles: upper trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboids, pectoralis minors, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minors. Pressure on each trigger point will be maintained for 30-60 seconds (<1 minute), The whole treatment lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. These procedures are performed only once. 2. The ultrasonographic (US)-guided subacromial injection group will receive corticosteroid injection into the subacromial bursa (Triamcinolone 1 ml of 10mg/1mL with 1% lidocaine is injected) by a physiatrist. This injection is performed only once. 3. The combined treatment group will receive myofascial trigger point therapy and corticosteroid injection (Triamcinolone 1 ml of 10mg/1mL with 1% lidocaine) into the subacromial bursa. The injection administered immediately before myofascial trigger point therapy. These procedures/injection are performed only once. 4. Since only one treatment is administered, fidelity issue is not applicable.

Sponsors

National Yang-Ming University
Lead SponsorUniversity

Study design

Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Treatment

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
All
Age
20 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Aged 20-65 patients with chronic unilateral nontraumatic shoulder pain 2. Meet at least 1 following 3 clinical diagnostic test: Neer tests (pain during passive abduction) / Hawkins test / painful arc sign 3. Numerical pain rating scale (NRS): >3/10 points during shoulder movement 4. Diagnosis of SIS by physiatrists

Exclusion criteria

1. History of shoulder fractures or dislocation 2. Cervical radiculopathy 3. Previous interventions with steroid injections in past three months 4. Previous history of shoulder surgery 5. Systemic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, diabetes 6. Neurological diseases or other severe medical or psychiatric disorders 7. Frozen shoulder 8. Full-thickness rotator cuff tear

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ANZCTR · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026