The Effect of Manual Therapy on Central Sensitization

Movement With Mobilization Technic Plus Exercising Versus Exercising Alone for Central Sensitization in Patients With Subacromial Pain: a Sham-controlled Randomized Clinical Trial

Subacromial pain syndrome (SIS) is a common cause of shoulder pain, estimated to be the cause for up to half of incident cases. Typically, pain is generated with elevation of the arm above the head though it can occur with rest in patients with SIS.There is evidence of central sensitization in those who experience chronic shoulder pain from SIS. Central sensitization is an augmentation of the nociceptive pathways of the central nervous system that is characterized by local and generalized lowered pain thresholds and an exaggerated pain response to painful and non painful stimulation.Mobilization with movement (MWM) technic is a kind of manual therapy and it is often used by clinicians for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. Usually manual therapy is used for its peripheral effects, however it also produces central analgesic effects activating descending anti-nociceptive pathways for a short period of time (30 - 35 mins.). Some speculate that repeated sessions of manual therapy may result in a long term activation of descending anti-nociceptive pathways. However, there is no evidence of this mechanism available yet. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of MWM on central sensitization (primary aim) and shoulder functions (secondary aim) in patients with SIS.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Subacromial Pain Syndrome; Central Sensitisation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Mobilization

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 63
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Adana, Turkey
    • Cukurova University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To have confirmed unilateral subacromial pain (positive testing at Neer Impingement and Hawkins-Kennedy tests),
• To have <40 score in central sensitization inventory.

Exclusion Criteria:

• To have bilateral subacromial pain,
• To have any pathology (except subacromial pain) that give rise to central sensitization (This pathologies are summarized in central sensitization inventory - part B)
• To have severe osteoarthritis or subluxation in shoulder joint,
• To have adhesive capsulitis,
• Being treated with physiotherapy for this disorder at least one month before the start of the study.
• To have severe cervical or lumbar radiculopathy,

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Mobilization; Mobilization with movement plus exercise.	Other: Mobilization; Movement with mobilization plus exercise
Placebo Comparator: Sham mobilization; Sham mobilization with movement plus exercise	Other: Mobilization; Movement with mobilization plus exercise
Active Comparator: Control; Exercise alone	Other: Mobilization; Movement with mobilization plus exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Central Sensitization Inventory	The central sensitization inventory (CSI), a patient reported outcome measure, is a reliable and valid comprehensive screening instrument for identification of central sensitization. The CSI inventory comprises of two sections - Part A and Part B. Part A consisted of 25-item self-report questionnaire with each item assessed on a 5-point Likert scale (0=never and 4=always), with total scores ranging from 0-100. Part B evaluates health-related symptoms that are common to central sensitization syndromes.Higher scores indicate more severe central sensitization. A CSI cut-off score of 40 exhibited good sensitivity in identifying central sensitization.	Baseline, 3 weeks: change from baseline central sensitization at 3 weeks, 3 months: change from central sensitization at 3 months.
Pressure-Pain Threshold-Algometer	Pressure pain threshold (PPT) is defined as the minimal amount of pressure where a sense of pressure first changes to pain. A mechanical pressure algometer is used in this study to assess PPT. This device consists of a round rubber disk (area,1 cm2 ) attached to a pressure (force) gauge. The gauge displays values in kilograms. Because the surface of the rubber tip is 1 cm2, the readings are expressed in kilograms per square centimeter. The range of the algometer is 0 to 10 kg with 0.1-kg divisions. Higher scores indicate high PPT.	Baseline, 3 weeks: change from baseline pressure pain threshold at 3 weeks, 3 months: change from pressure pain threshold at 3 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quick Disabilities of the Shoulder, Arm and Hand Questionnaire	The Quick Disabilities of the Shoulder, Arm and Hand Questionnaire assesses physical functioning and symptoms of the upper limb, yielding a result between 0 and 100% (0% being the best and 100% being the worst outcomes).	Baseline, 3 weeks: change from baseline shoulder functions at 3 weeks, 3 months: change from shoulder functions at 3 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cukurova University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 15, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): February 5, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 30, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 30, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 17, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 15, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Manual therapy; Mobilization; Shoulder pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: 107/82

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No