Effect of Perturbation Exercise Protocol in Patients With Partial Rotator Cuff Tear: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

March 15, 2026 updated by: Selvin BALKİ, Cumhuriyet University

Effects of Perturbation-Based Rehabilitation on Pain, Proprioception, Muscle Strength, Range of Motion and Functional Performance in Patients With Partial Rotator Cuff Tear: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Partial rotator cuff tears negatively affect shoulder stability, proprioception, and neuromuscular control. Perturbation-based rehabilitation has been shown to enhance reflex muscle activation and dynamic joint stabilization; however, randomized controlled studies investigating its effects in patients with partial rotator cuff tears are limited.

This single-blind randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the long-term effects of a perturbation exercise protocol on pain, proprioception, muscle strength, range of motion, and functional performance in individuals with partial rotator cuff tears.

Sixty participants will be randomly assigned to either a conventional physiotherapy group or a perturbation-based rehabilitation group. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment (10 days), and one month follow-up.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Partial rotator cuff tears are common musculoskeletal disorders that negatively affect shoulder stability, neuromuscular control, muscle strength, and functional performance. Damage to mechanoreceptors within the rotator cuff complex may impair proprioceptive feedback and dynamic stabilization, leading to persistent pain and recurrent microtrauma.

Conventional physiotherapy programs primarily focus on pain reduction and strengthening exercises. However, neuromuscular control deficits and proprioceptive impairments may not be fully addressed through traditional rehabilitation approaches. Perturbation-based exercise training has been proposed as a rehabilitation strategy aimed at enhancing reflexive muscle activation, improving co-contraction patterns, and promoting dynamic joint stability through controlled external disturbances.

Although perturbation exercises have shown promising effects in other shoulder pathologies and postoperative populations, randomized controlled trials investigating their long-term effects in individuals with partial rotator cuff tears are limited.

This single-blind randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a perturbation-based rehabilitation program in addition to conventional physiotherapy on shoulder muscle strength (primary outcome), pain intensity, range of motion, proprioception, and functional performance. Sixty participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group receiving conventional therapy alone or an experimental group receiving additional perturbation exercises. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment (10 days), and one-month follow-up.

The findings of this study may contribute to evidence-based rehabilitation strategies and help optimize treatment protocols for patients with partial rotator cuff tears.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

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

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
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-65 years
  • Clinically diagnosed partial rotator cuff tear
  • Suitable for physiotherapy
  • Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Full-thickness rotator cuff tear
  • Previous shoulder surgery
  • History of fracture or dislocation
  • Adhesive capsulitis
  • Neurological deficit in upper extremity
  • Professional athletes
  • Active systemic rheumatologic disease

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: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental Group
Conventional physiotherapy + perturbation exercise protocol
Other: Conventional physiotherapy
Non
Other Names:
  • Non
Other: Perturbation exercise protocol
Non
Other: Control Group
Conventional physiotherapy only
Other: Conventional physiotherapy
Non
Other Names:
  • Non

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Shoulder muscle strength
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Shoulder flexor, abductor, and medial and lateral rotator muscles muscle strength measured by Handheld Dynamometer
Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Shoulder Range of Motion
Time Frame: Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Measuremets for shoulder range of motion (flexion, abduction, and internal and external rotation) with a üniversal goniometer
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Shoulder Pain
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Measumets for shoulder pain with VAS
Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Proprioception
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
The target angle was 90 degrees of shoulder flexion. Joint repositioning errors for this angle were determined using a universal goniometer.
Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Functional Status
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Functional status of the shoulder was determined using the Constant-Murley Score (CMS). The total CMS score is 100, comprising 15 for pain, 20 for activities of daily living, 40 for range of motion, and 25 for muscle strength. An increased CMS score indicates better function.
Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
Dynamic balance
Time Frame: Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up
The Upper Quadrant Y Balance Test was used to measure the dynamic balance of the upper extremity.
Baseline, Day 10 (post-treatment), 1 month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Cumhuriyet University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Selvin Balki, Assoc. prof. Dr, Cumhuriyet University
  • Principal Investigator: Ayşe Nur Engindoğan, MSc, Cumhuriyet University

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)

March 16, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 19, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SCU-FTR-SB-06

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.

Clinical Trials on Partial Rotator Cuff Tears

Clinical Trials on Conventional physiotherapy

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Lithuania

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe