Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Exercise for Shoulder Pain

April 27, 2024 updated by: César Fernández-de-las-Peñas

Effects of Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Exercise for Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome

Based on the available literature, application of percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation interventions targeting peripheral nerves (also called percutaneous neuromodulation) has shown positive effects for improving pain-related and functional outcomes in musculoskeletal chronic pain. Studies investigating the use of this intervention for the shoulder are lacking.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Based on the available literature, application of percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation interventions targeting peripheral nerves (also called percutaneous neuromodulation) has shown positive effects for improving pain-related and functional outcomes in musculoskeletal chronic pain. Studies investigating the use of this intervention for the shoulder are lacking.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
59

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Claudia Valenzuela

Study Locations

  • Spain
    • Rest Of The World
      • Madrid, Rest Of The World, Spain, 28922
        • César Fernández-de-las-Peñas

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Unilateral non-traumatic shoulder pain (positive painful arc during shoulder abduction and a positive Hawkins test on clinical examination)
  • Shoulder pain from at least 3 months
  • Shoulder pain of more than 3/10 points on a NPRS

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Bilateral shoulder symptoms
  • Younger than 18 or older than 65 years
  • History of shoulder traumatisms, fractures or dislocation
  • Diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy
  • Previous interventions with steroid injections in the shoulder area
  • Comorbid medical conditions, e.g., fibromyalgia syndrome
  • Previous history of shoulder or neck surgery
  • Any type of intervention for the neck-shoulder area during the previous year
  • Fear to needles

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Participants assigned to this group will received four sessions (once per week) of ultrasound guided percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation targeting the axillar and suprascapular nerves for 30 minutes. We will apply a biphasic compensated electrical current at a frequency of 2 Hz, a pulse width of 250 μs and intensity allowed over a pain-free motor threshold (muscle contraction). In addition, they will receive a program of exercises for the shoulder musculature for 3 weeks.
Other: Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Application of a electrical current percutaneously (at the motor response intensity) targeting the suprascapular and axillar nerves
Other: Exercise
Application of three weeks of progressive exercises targeting the shoulder musculature
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Percutaneous Nerve Stimulation
Participants assigned to this group will received four sessions (once per week) of placebo ultrasound guided percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation targeting the axillar and suprascapular nerve. The electrical current will be off and no electrical current will be provided to the patient. In addition, they will receive the same program of exercises for the shoulder than the experimental group for three weeks.
Other: Exercise
Application of three weeks of progressive exercises targeting the shoulder musculature
Other: Placebo Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Application of sham electrical current (no intensity) percutaneously targeting the suprascapular and axillar nerves
Active Comparator: Exercise
Participants assigned to this group will receive the same program of exercises for the shoulder than the remaining groups for three weeks.
Other: Exercise
Application of three weeks of progressive exercises targeting the shoulder musculature

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in disability between baseline and follow-up periods
Time Frame: Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) will be used to determine the disability induced by shoulder pain
Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in shoulder pain between baseline and follow-up periods
Time Frame: Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
A 10-point Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS; 0: no pain, 10: maximum pain) will be used to assess the patients' mean level of shoulder pain experienced in the preceding week in the shoulder area.
Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
Changes in sleep quality between baseline and follow-up periods
Time Frame: Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) will be used to evaluate the quality of sleep
Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
Changes in anxiety/depressive symptoms between baseline and follow-up periods
Time Frame: Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, A: Anxiety; D: Depression) will be used to evaluate the presence of anxiety/depressive symptoms
Baseline, one week after the last intervention and 1 and 3 months after the intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
César Fernández-de-las-Peñas

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: César Fernández-de-las-Peñas, PhD, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 25, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 27, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 27, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 27, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 30, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 27, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • URJC0609202218622

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings