Telerehabilitation in Shoulder Pathology

Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation in Shoulder Pathology

A randomized clinical trial will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of telerehabilitation compared to in-person physiotherapy in the treatment of rotator cuff injuries of the shoulder. Follow-up assessments will be performed at 2, 5, and 8 weeks. Scales will be used to evaluate shoulder function, quality of life, pain perception, and satisfaction with the digital tool.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Rotator Cuff Pathology
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: telerehabilitation in physiotherapy; Procedure: face to face physiotherapy

Detailed Description

Digital health is undergoing significant development in various healthcare settings, especially in primary care. Digital physiotherapy, or telerehabilitation, is a resource that promotes self-care and allows for remote monitoring and follow-up. This study focuses on its application to degenerative rotator cuff disease of the shoulder. This is justified by its high prevalence and the geographical dispersion of the population served by the Primary Care Physiotherapy Unit of Teruel Ensanche. Objectives: The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary care telerehabilitation program for patients with degenerative rotator cuff disease of the shoulder, compared to traditional physiotherapy. Secondary objectives are to assess patients' perception and satisfaction with this intervention and to analyze the usability and acceptance of the telerehabilitation program. Methodology: A 12-week randomized clinical trial will be conducted at the Teruel Ensanche Health Center. A sample of 68 adults aged 34 to 87 years with degenerative rotator cuff disease of the shoulder was estimated. Participants require internet access and an electronic device. The variables measured: shoulder function (Constant-Murley test), degree of disability (DASH questionnaire), quality of life (COOP/WONCA questionnaire), and pain perception (numerical rating scale). The intervention group (IG) receive an individualized program with remotely guided and supervised exercises, supplemented by a weekly in-person session. The control group (CG) receive standard treatment: 10 in-person physiotherapy sessions, followed by unsupervised home exercises. Assessments will be conducte at baseline and at 2, 5, 8, and 12 weeks.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 68
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Aragon
    • Teruel, Aragon, Spain, 44002
      • Teruel Ensanche Primary Care

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Minimum age 18.
• Diagnosis of degenerative shoulder rotator cuff disease.
• Internet access.
• Access to a video calling device.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous shoulder surgery.
• Cognitive impairment that prevents them from performing the task.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Telerehabilitation; exercises supervised by videoconference	Procedure: telerehabilitation in physiotherapy; Exercises supervised by videoconference.
Active Comparator: Face to face physiotherapy; Face to face exercise sessions in the physiotherapy room	Procedure: face to face physiotherapy; Exercises performed in a physical therapy room.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Shoulder functionality	Shoulder function will be analyzed using the test Constant Murley.A maximum total score of 100 indicates optimal health and mobility in this joint. The results are divided into four main categories: pain (15 points), activities of daily living (20 points), mobility (40 points), and strength (25 points). It is essential to distinguish between scores below 60, which denote a severely dysfunctional state, and those above 80, which reflect optimal functionality.	At baseline, at 2, 5, 8, and 12 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Health-related quality of life	The COOP-WONCA questionnaire The COOP-WONCA questionnaire is a brief instrument for assessing health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), widely used in primary care and clinical studies to obtain a global and functional view of the patient's perceived health status. It consists of 7 items, and scores were processed using a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores corresponding to a poorer quality of life.	At baseline, and at 2, 5, 8, and 12 weeks.
Level of shoulder disability	Shoulder disability will be analyzed using the DASH questionnaire (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand). The DASH consists of 30 items. Each question must be answered using a 5-point scale, where 1 indicates "No difficulty" and 5 indicates "Unable to perform." A higher score indicates greater disability.	At baseline, 5 and 12 weeks
Pain perception	Pain perception will be analyzed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale. It is scored from 1 to 10. The higher the score, the greater the perception of pain.	At baseline, 2,5,8 and 12 weeks
Level of satisfaction with telerehabilitation	Satisfaction with the use of telerehabilitation will be measured using the TUQ questionnaire (Telehealth Usability Questionnaire). It has 12 items, rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 7, the higher the score, the greater the satisfaction.	At 12 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 2, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): February 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 23, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 28, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Shoulder; Physical Therapy; Telerehabilitation; Physiotherapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Health Services Administration; Delivery of Health Care; Therapeutics; Patient Care; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Telemedicine; Patient Care Management; Telerehabilitation; Physical Therapy Modalities
• Other Study ID Numbers: C.P.-C.I. PI21-403

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: This study is not complete.

Drug and device information, study documents

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