The Influence of Eccentric Training on the Volume and Vascularisation of the Rotator Cuff in Patients With Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy and Healthy Subjects

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01423682

Enrollment

Registered

2011-08-26

Start date

2012-04-30

Completion date

2015-06-30

Last updated

2021-11-19

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

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy

Brief summary

Patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy make up a large part of the population in physiotherapy practice. The rotator cuff, a shoulder muscle group, plays an important role in causing pain. Tendons suffer large compression and friction, which can lead to degeneration of these tendons. Rehabilitation often leads to unsatisfying results. In Achilles and patella tendinopathy, a new training program called eccentric training has shown very good results. Eccentric training contains exercises during which a force has to be resisted while the muscle lengthens instead of shortens. This would have a larger influence on tendon tissue. Some small studies also show promising results of eccentric training in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy but the mechanisms behind these results remain unclear. To investigate this, 30 patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy and 30 healthy subjects will be evaluated before and immediately after performing the exercise. Three measurements will be done: ultrasonographic measurement of tendon thickness, power Doppler imaging and measurement of microcirculation around the tendon with Oxygen to see. All measurements are non-invasive, pain free and without risks for the human body.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALEccentric exercise

Patients and healthy subjects will perform an eccentric exercise during which a weight is lifted along the body and lowered with an extended arm at a slow speed. Weight is determined, based on pain in patients and based on force in healthy subjects.

Study design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 40 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

Patients: * Male/ Female * 18-40 years old * Unilateral shoulder pain for at least 3 months * Pain of at least 3/10 on a visual analogue scale * Painful arc or pain at end range abduction * 2/3 impingement tests positive * 2/4 resistance tests positive * Pain at insertion rotator cuff

Exclusion criteria

Patients: * Spurling test positive * Shoulder surgery in the past * Osteoarthritis shoulder * Full thickness ruptures Inclusion Criteria Healthy subjects: * Male/ Female * 18-40 years old

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Tendon thickness measurement	After 30 minutes rest, before performing the exercise.	Grey scale ultrasound examination is used.
Tendon vascularisation examination.	After 30 minutes rest, before performing the exercise.	Power Doppler ultrasound examination is used.
Microcirculation around the tendon examination.	After 30 minutes rest, before performing the exercise.	Oxygen to see (spectrophotometry and laser Doppler) will be used.

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Microcirculation around the tendon examination.	10 minutes after performing the exercise.	Oxygen to see (spectrophotometry and laser Doppler) will be used.
Tendon thickness measurements.	10 minutes after performing the exercise.	Grey scale ultrasound examination is used.
Tendon vascularisation examination.	10 minutes after performing the exercise.	Power Doppler ultrasound examination is used.

Countries

Belgium

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026