Research on the Effectiveness of Remote Rehabilitation l for Shoulder and Neck Recovery in Oral Cancer Patients After Selective Neck Dissection

Consecutive patients undergoing oral cancer treatment at the hospital were enrolled and randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group using a random number table. The control group received standard postoperative rehabilitation, including instructional manuals and exercise videos, to ensure proper rehabilitation training and precautions after discharge. Rehabilitation physicians assessed outcomes and provided guidance during follow-up visits. The experimental group adopted the "Internet +" remote rehabilitation model. Patients were instructed to download a rehabilitation follow-up app, which provided daily exercise reminders. Patients logged their completed exercises and periodically recorded rehabilitation videos. Rehabilitation physicians remotely evaluated and guided patients based on the submitted videos. Shoulder and neck function were assessed using the Constant-Murley Shoulder Score and Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) at preoperative, 10-day, 1-month, and 3-month postoperative intervals.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Oral Cancer Patients After Selective Neck Dissection
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: "Internet +" remote rehabilitation model; Behavioral: Instructional manuals and exercise videos

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Liaoning
    • Shenyang, Liaoning, China, 110001
      • .Department of Oromaxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Shenyang, PR China.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primary oral cancer patients with surgical indications who provided informed consent and underwent surgical treatment including neck dissection with spinal accessory nerve preservation.
• Able to understand and provide informed consent for rehabilitation training, cooperative with training and required follow-ups.
• No history of conditions affecting shoulder mobility, including scapulohumeral periarthritis, cervical spondylosis, myofascial pain syndrome, or rheumatic diseases.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous surgery or trauma in the neck and shoulder region, or prior neck lymph node dissection.
• Pre-existing shoulder and neck pain, abnormal bilateral shoulder and neck range of motion, or abnormal muscle strength.
• Severe systemic underlying diseases that prevent cooperation with examinations.
• Underwent radical neck dissection or received postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy that may affect shoulder and neck mobility.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group:Telerehabilitation; Patients received routine postoperative rehabilitation plus Internet-based telerehabilitation intervention, including regular exercise reminders, online training video submission, real-time feedback, and personalized remote guidance from medical staff.	Behavioral: "Internet +" remote rehabilitation model; Patients were instructed to download a rehabilitation follow-up app, which provided daily exercise reminders. Patients logged their completed exercises and periodically recorded rehabilitation videos. Rehabilitation physicians remotely evaluated and guided patients based on the submitted videos.; Behavioral: Instructional manuals and exercise videos; Postoperative shoulder and neck rehabilitation instructional manuals and exercise videos for home-based training.
Active Comparator: Control group: Standard postoperative rehabilitation; Patients received standard postoperative shoulder and neck rehabilitation guidance, including instructional manuals and exercise videos, with face-to-face evaluation and advice during follow-up visits.	Behavioral: Instructional manuals and exercise videos; Postoperative shoulder and neck rehabilitation instructional manuals and exercise videos for home-based training.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Constant-Murley shoulder score at baseline, 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months	Shoulder function (pain, daily activity, range of motion, muscle strength) measured by the Constant-Murley score at baseline, 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively	Baseline, 10 days, 1 month, 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) score at baseline, 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months	Neck pain, stiffness, and quality of life assessed by the Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) at baseline, 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively	Baseline, 10 days, 1 month, 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Pai Pang

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 28, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 16, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: K2024043

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

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