Maintenance of Shoulder Health and Function After Spinal Cord Injury

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Spinal Cord Injury, Shoulder Pain

In brief

The purpose of this study is to determine if a shoulder exercise program can prevent the onset of shoulder pain and improve community participation in persons who have a spinal cord injury (SCI). Upon entry into the study patients will have pain-free shoulders and will be followed for 3 years to determine rate of shoulder pain development. Patients will learn a simple shoulder home exercise program and will be instructed on techniques to protect their shoulder during wheelchair propulsion, transfers and activities of daily living. Patients will be instructed to perform the home exercise program 3 days per week. Two types of treatment (training) delivery approaches that have been documented to reduce chronic shoulder pain will be compared. The rate of shoulder pain development for the two groups will be compared to the rate of shoulder pain development in the historical control group. The investigators hypothesize that the rate of shoulder pain development will be lower in the experimental treatment groups compared to the historical control group. Any differences between the two treatment delivery approaches for the experimental treatment groups will help to provide guidelines for the most effective delivery approach of a shoulder pain prevention program.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02135978

Run by

Rancho Research Institute, Inc.

People needed

148

Starts

2012-04-01

Expected to finish

2017-07-01

Last updated by the study team

2018-04-11

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• spinal cord injury
• at least 2 years duration post spinal cord injury and no greater than 20 years duration post spinal cord injury
• at least 18 years of age
• free of shoulder pain that interferes with daily activities or requires medical intervention at the time of enrollment in the study
• a total score on the "Wheelchair User's Shoulder Pain Index" of 10 or less
• adequate arm strength and movement to perform the shoulder exercise program

You may not qualify if…

• positive shoulder impingement signs (positive Hawkins-Kennedy test and painful arc in shoulder abduction or flexion)
• biceps tendonitis (positive Speed's test)
• adhesive capsulitis, or cervical radiculopathy
• a history of shoulder injury or surgery or orthopedic or neurologic disorders (other than SCI) that would impact arm function

Where it is running

• Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitaiton Center — Downey, California, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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