Scapulothoracic Joint Mobilization With or Without Acromioclavicular Joint Mobilization in Sub-acromial Pain Syndrome

February 17, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University

Effects of Scapulothoracic Joint Mobilization With or Without Acromioclavicular Joint Mobilization in Patients With Sub-acromial Pain Syndrome

the study was conducted to find out the effects of scapulothoracic joint mobilization with or without acromioclavicular joint mobilization in patients with sub-acromial pain syndrome.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

the study was conducted to determine the effects on the pain, range of motion of shoulder joint and the SPADI score in patients with sub-acromial pain syndrome post intervention including scapulothoracic upward rotation, posterior tilting and outward rotation glide with or without combination of acromioclavicular inferior glide.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

36

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Sheikhupura, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 39460
        • Dr.Sheharyar Tanveer Clinic Sharaq pur

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 25 - 40 years
  • Genders both male and female
  • Patients having unilateral non-traumatic shoulder pain
  • Patients having pain for ≥ 3 months
  • According to Dutch Orthopedic Association Clinical Practice Guidelines 2 out of following 3 tests should be positive i.e. Hawkin's kennedy test, Painful arc test, and Infraspinatus resistance test
  • Positive scapular assistance test
  • Positive AC joint scarf test

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients having bilateral shoulder pain
  • Younger than 25 and older than 40 years
  • With positive drop arm test for supraspinatus tears
  • Degenerative joint disease of shoulder
  • Patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder
  • Having history of shoulder fracture and dislocation
  • Patients diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy (19)
  • Having history of shoulder or neck surgery (19)
  • Patients who had steroid injections in shoulder joint in the past 6 months
  • Patients having other neurological, orthopedic and systemic problems affecting the shoulder, neck and back

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization with acromioclavicular joint mobilization
Other: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization
during 1st week of treatment, patients received Maitland grade-II mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. during 2nd, 3rd and 4rth week, patients received grade- II and III Maitland mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks
Other: Acromioclavicular joint mobilization
during 1st week : Maitland grade-II mobilization for AC joint inferior glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. during 2nd, 3rd and 4rth week : Maitland grade-II, III for AC joint inferior glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks.
Other: Standard physiotherapy treatment
Moist hot pack for 10-15 minutes on shoulder region in supine lying position. TENS modulated mode for 10 minutes. Scapular stabilization exercises including: scapular protraction and retraction, shoulder extension, shoulder external rotation, standing snow angels, standing weight shift, ball stabilization exercise, serratus anterior punch. 3 sets with 10 repetitions, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks.
Active Comparator: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization
Other: Scapulothoracic joint mobilization
during 1st week of treatment, patients received Maitland grade-II mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 5-10 oscillations per minute, 3 sets with 10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest interval. during 2nd, 3rd and 4rth week, patients received grade- II and III Maitland mobilization for upward rotation, posterior tilting and external rotation glide, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks
Other: Standard physiotherapy treatment
Moist hot pack for 10-15 minutes on shoulder region in supine lying position. TENS modulated mode for 10 minutes. Scapular stabilization exercises including: scapular protraction and retraction, shoulder extension, shoulder external rotation, standing snow angels, standing weight shift, ball stabilization exercise, serratus anterior punch. 3 sets with 10 repetitions, 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numeric Pain Rating scale
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
this scale is used to evaluate pain. it consists of 11 points from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain, 1-3 represents mild pain, 4-6 moderate pain and 7-10 represents severe pain.
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index SPADI
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment
this questionnaire consisting of 13 items is used to assess the severity of pain and difficulty while performing daily life activities. two subscales for pain and disability. uses a visual Analog scale or Numeric rating scale for each item, resulting in scores from 0-100 for each sub-scale, with higher scores indicating more pain or disability.
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
goniometer for shoulder flexion ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment
changes in shoulder flexion range of motion was measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment sessions using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment
Goniometer for shoulder extension ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
changes in the shoulder extension range of motion were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks of treatment sessions using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
Goniometer for shoulder abduction ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment sessions
changes in the shoulder abduction range of motion were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks of treatment sessions by using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment sessions
Goniometer for shoulder adduction ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
changes in shoulder adduction range of motion were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks treatment sessions by using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
Goniometer for shoulder external rotation ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
changes in shoulder external rotation range of motion were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks of treatment sessions by using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks of treatment
goniometer for shoulder internal rotation ROM
Time Frame: from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment
changes in the shoulder internal rotation range of motion were measured at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks of treatment sessions by using goniometer
from enrolment to the end of 4 weeks treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Riphah International University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Saba Rafiq, MS-OMPT, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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)

January 10, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 10, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

November 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 29, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 29, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

January 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 17, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • REC/RCR & AHS/24/0185

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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.

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