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Assessment of Muscle Function and Size in Older Adults With Rotator Cuff Tear

Rotator Cuff Function and Muscle Morphology in Older Adults With Rotator Cuff Tear

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01459536
Acronym
ARC
Enrollment
25
Registered
2011-10-25
Start date
2011-09-30
Completion date
2013-12-31
Last updated
2017-11-07

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

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Tear

Keywords

Aging

Brief summary

Adequate upper limb function is critically important to maintenance of independence and prevention of disability in older adults. The goal of this work is to identify factors that contribute to rotator cuff rupture and improved outcomes for repair. Ultimately, the investigators seek to identify patients most at risk for rupture and to guide clinicians on optimal surgical and rehabilitation strategies. This pilot study will quantitatively characterize the morphological (muscle volume and fatty infiltration) and functional (shoulder isometric joint strength, movement when performing typical task) changes in the muscles of the rotator cuff following supraspinatus tear and surgical repair. The investigators hypothesize that patients with supraspinatus tear will have reduced muscle volume and increased fatty infiltration of rotator cuff muscles compared to their contralateral arm and age-matched controls, which will increase following surgery. The investigators further hypothesize that isometric joint strength in these individuals will be associated with muscle volume and the degree of fatty infiltration, and that older adults with a rotator cuff tear will use a restricted range of motion to accomplish functional tasks. This study emphasizes muscle function and composition with application to rehabilitation of upper limb function, which complements the theme of the Pepper Center.

Interventions

None listed

Sponsors

Wake Forest University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* adults ≥ 60 years of age * free of any medical condition that might be exacerbated by physical testing * patients: major thickness supraspinatus tear * control subjects: no history of significant injury or pathology in either upper limb

Exclusion criteria

* contraindication to undergoing MRI * history of neuromuscular disorder, or any injury that may affect the upper limb (e.g. any history of stroke, Parkinson's, or spinal cord injury, or being confined to a wheelchair)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Shoulder strengthbaseline

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

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