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EMG at Performing ULTN 1 in Breast Cancer Patients

Evoked EMG Muscle Activity at Performing ULTN 1 in Breast Cancer Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02599467
Enrollment
124
Registered
2015-11-06
Start date
2015-01-31
Completion date
2015-06-30
Last updated
2015-11-06

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

Conditions

Physiotherapy

Keywords

Nerve Pain, Electromyography, Median Nerve, Breast Neoplasms

Brief summary

Upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is a painful disturbance that breast cancer patients often undergo following axillary surgery. It is assessed by the upper limb neurodynamic test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1). Design: A matched case-control observational study. Objective: to check the increased upper limb mechanosensitivity by shoulder range of motion (ROM) during ULNT1 and to determine, for the first time, the evoked electromyographic (EMG) muscle activity. Participants: 62 cases who underwent breast cancer surgery and 64 matched control women. Setting: Torrejon Hospital, Physical Therapy Department, Madrid (Spain). Intervention: To record EMG muscle activity during ULNT1 performance and to measure shoulder ROM. Key outcomes: mechanosensitivity, breast cancer, pain, EMG, shoulder ROM, median nerve.

Detailed description

Upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is a painful disturbance that breast cancer patients often undergo following axillary surgery. It is assessed by the upper limb neurodynamic test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1).A neural provocation test is a sequence of movements designed to assess the mechanics and physiology of part of the nervous system by elongating the length of the nerve bedding and by increasing the pressure in and around the peripheral nerve .The most reliable test to assess the upper limb neural mechanosensitivity is the neural provocation test for the median nerve, called upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1). This test consists of depressing shoulder girdle in a neutral position, shoulder abduction and lateral rotation, elbow extension, forearm supination and wrist extension. Cervical contralateral lateral flexion may be included to further increase the loading of the brachial plexus and, as a sensitizing maneuver, to differentiate structurally between neural and non-neural involvement. The ULNT1 is considered as positive when symptoms are reproduced on affected upper limb, or side-to-side differences in ROM, or symptoms modified by lateral neck side-bending. Likewise, It is also necessary to assess the EMG activity of the involved muscles to verify the early and increased protective muscle response suggested throughout the neural strain performance. It is also necessary to assess the EMG activity of the involved muscles to verify the early and increased protective muscle response suggested throughout the neural strain performance. Design: A matched case-control observational study. Objective: to check the increased upper limb mechanosensitivity by shoulder ROM during ULNT1 and to determine, for the first time, the evoked EMG muscle activity. Participants: 62 cases who underwent breast cancer surgery and 64 matched control women. Setting: Torrejon Hospital, Physical Therapy Department, Madrid (Spain). Intervention: To record EMG muscle activity during ULNT1 performance and to measure shoulder ROM. Key outcomes: mechanosensitivity, breast cancer, pain, EMG, shoulder ROM, median nerve.

Interventions

OTHERULNT 1 and EMG recording

While the ULNT 1 was performing, EMG muscle activity form biceps brachii and triceps brachii were recorded. The maneuver was stopped to measure abduction, external rotation and elbow flexion range of motion (ROM) with a goniometer. Three measurements were performed: measure 1) when the first sense of tightness perceived by the subject appeared; measure 2) when evoked muscle activity increased on EMG record; measure 3) when sense of final resistance perceived by the investigator appeared. Considering the increase of symptoms with contralateral or decrease of symptoms with ipsilateral cervical side bending as mandatory positivity criterion.

Sponsors

University of Alcala
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
40 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* No undergo breast cancer. * To be the age and the sema dominant arm than one of the cases.

Exclusion criteria

* Current painful conditions involving their neck or dominant upper-extremity. * Chronic pain conditions (i.e. Fibromyalgia). * Current use of pain relievers.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Increased evoked EMG muscle activity5 minIntensity of the evoked muscle activity from biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles by EMG recording

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Upper limb range of motion restrictions15 mindegrees of range of motion of three movements: shoulder abduction, shoulder external rotation and elbow flexion.

Outcome results

None listed

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