Rotator Cuff Injuries
Conditions
Keywords
Tree Number(s) C26.761.340 C26.803.063 C26.874.400, Unique ID D000070636
Brief summary
170 patients with rotator cuff syndrome will be filmed abducting and flexing their arms before learning a simple maneuver that alleviates most of the pain 90% of the time. They will then be filmed performing the same abduction and flexion of their arms. The patients will rate their pain on the common 10-point pain scale after abducting and flexing their arms before and after the maneuver.
Detailed description
Facial expression and truncal metrics correlate strongly with occurrence and intensity of pain. Rotator cuff syndrome almost invariably gives significant pain, especially with abduction and flexion of the arms. A simple maneuver that alleviates that pain 90% of the time, by activating the subscapularis to perform the function of the damaged supraspinatus muscle. This study strives to correlate facial and truncal characteristics with the ten-point pain scale by correlating the filmed changes in facial and truncal characteristics with the variations in patient-rated pain before and after the pain-controlling maneuver. Once effective, the maneuver may be repeated for a number of days, after which time patients generally remain pain-free permanently.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALTriangular Forearm Support
The intervention, the Triangular Forearm Support requires drawing the shoulders away from the subject's head and neck. This requires at least a mild force that this action can oppose. The most-favored maneuver is to have patients stand 2 feet away from a wall, interlock their fingers, and place their forearms to form two sides of an equilateral triangle against the wall. They then place their heads within the triangle, the backs of their heads close to or in on contact with the heels of their hands. Then, pressing against the wall with their elbows and forearms, they draw their shoulders as far away from the wall as possible, retaining contact between the wall and the tops of their heads. Subjects remain in this position for 45 seconds, at which time they stand erect and repeat the abduction and flexion maneuver.
BEHAVIORALPlacebo
Patients will be asked to raise arms overhead for 45 seconds.
Sponsors
Carnegie Mellon University
Manhattan Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, LLP
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
After qualifying, patients are randomized into intervention or control groups. The investigator and care provider then film the patient, teach the interventional or sham maneuver, and film the patient again. The outcomes assessor then evaluates the patient responses and filmed behaviors, but is not informed about whether the patient received the interventional maneuver or the sham maneuver.
Intervention model description
This is a randomized, controlled study in which the patient and investigator are blinded.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Rotator cuff syndrome -
Exclusion criteria
Psychological or emotional instability Other orthopedic conditions of the shoulders Cosmetic facial surgery \-
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Correlation between facial expression parameters and patient pain-scale ratings | Outcome measured within 1 minute of intervention | Changes in facial muscular activity with changes in pain status |
| Reduction of pain in abduction and flexion following the triangular forearm support. maneuver. | Outcome measured within 1 minute of intervention | Changes in Likert scale pain scores by patient and examinermaneuver abduction and flexion. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed