EFFECTS OF BREATHING EXERCISES ON PAIN AND FUNCTIONALITY IN ROTATOR CUFF TEARS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

NCT ID: NCT05584345

Last Updated: 2025-12-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-10-30
• Study Completion Date: 2023-07-03

Brief Summary

As it causes pain and disability in individuals with rotator cuff lesions, which is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, it affects performance in activities of daily living. Shoulder pain significantly affects the quality of life of individuals. The aim of conventional treatment in Rotator Cuff injuries is to reduce the inflammation in the area and to enable the shoulder to perform its normal functions. Conventional treatment is to restore muscle balance in the shoulder area. Muscle balance is achieved by strengthening the teres minor, infraspinatus, and subscapularis, which are also the humeral head depressors, and by strengthening the serratus anterior, levator scapula. For strengthening, the shoulder must have a full range of motion. In our study, stretching exercises, cold pack, Ultrasound, TENS, wand, and Codman exercises, which are classical physiotherapy methods, will be applied to all three groups. There are also studies in the literature investigating the effects of traditional physiotherapy methods on individuals with shoulder Rotator Cuff syndrome. The benefits of breathing exercises on pain, shoulder joint range of motion, and balance have all been researched in the literature. Increased diaphragm activity also guarantees that posture and body positions are maintained healthily. Diaphragm activity generally alters how an individual perceives pain. Diaphragmatic breathing is a therapeutic approach for musculoskeletal disorders.

Detailed Description

Breathing techniques have been demonstrated to reduce shoulder pain and increase ROM at the literature. However, no study has been found on the effectiveness of breathing exercises applied in addition to conventional physiotherapy in individuals with Rotator Cuff syndrome.

Based on all of this knowledge, it was designed for this study to examine the efficacy of breathing exercises used in combination with traditional physiotherapy in patients with Rotator Cuff syndrome.

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Conventional therapy

Traditional physiotherapy applications will be applied.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Conventional Treatment and manual therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Cold pack, ultrasound, TENS, finger ladder, Codman, shoulder wheel, and Wand exercises, as well as stretching and capsule exercises, will be used in addition to conventional physiotherapy. There will be 30 repetitions in each direction of the Codman exercises. 5 days a week, for a total of 30 sessions, the afflicted shoulder will get 6 minutes of daily US treatment, with complete contact to the shoulder area and at a right angle. All patients will receive manual stretching in the shoulder flexion, abduction, extension, external rotation, and internal rotation directions. In addition, participants will receive manual therapy techniques, including Glenohumeral joint (GH) distraction, glenohumeral joint inferior gliding, anterior gliding, and posterior gliding, scapulothoracic joint distraction, scapulothoracic joint superior, inferior, medial, and lateral gliding. Each manual therapy technique was performed with 10 repetitions per participant

breathing exercises and conventional therapy program

In addition to traditional physiotherapy, respiratory exercises will be applied.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Manual therapy and Respiratory Exercises

Intervention Type: OTHER

In addition to the treatment program applied in conventional therapy and manual therapy,, participants in this group also will perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises, pursed-lip breathing exercises, and relaxation breathing exercises. Each breathing exercise will be performed with 10 repetitions under physiotherapist supervision. Participants were also asked to continue the breathing exercises at home, performing them three times a day with 10 repetitions per session for a duration of six weeks.

Interventions

Conventional Treatment and manual therapy

Cold pack, ultrasound, TENS, finger ladder, Codman, shoulder wheel, and Wand exercises, as well as stretching and capsule exercises, will be used in addition to conventional physiotherapy. There will be 30 repetitions in each direction of the Codman exercises. 5 days a week, for a total of 30 sessions, the afflicted shoulder will get 6 minutes of daily US treatment, with complete contact to the shoulder area and at a right angle. All patients will receive manual stretching in the shoulder flexion, abduction, extension, external rotation, and internal rotation directions. In addition, participants will receive manual therapy techniques, including Glenohumeral joint (GH) distraction, glenohumeral joint inferior gliding, anterior gliding, and posterior gliding, scapulothoracic joint distraction, scapulothoracic joint superior, inferior, medial, and lateral gliding. Each manual therapy technique was performed with 10 repetitions per participant

Intervention Type: OTHER

Manual therapy and Respiratory Exercises

In addition to the treatment program applied in conventional therapy and manual therapy,, participants in this group also will perform diaphragmatic breathing exercises, pursed-lip breathing exercises, and relaxation breathing exercises. Each breathing exercise will be performed with 10 repetitions under physiotherapist supervision. Participants were also asked to continue the breathing exercises at home, performing them three times a day with 10 repetitions per session for a duration of six weeks.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. The participants were between the ages of 30 and 55

2. No history of shoulder surgery

3. Exhibited restricted shoulder joint range of motion,

4. A diagnosed rotator cuff tear

Exclusion Criteria

1. individuals with a history of significant shoulder trauma

2. anatomical deformities, skeletal fractures, diagnosed orthopedic or rheumatologic disorders, participation in a physiotherapy program within the last six months

3. Presence of a cardiac pacemaker, current infections, recent myocardial infarction (within the last six months), or any other condition that could interfere with their ability to perform the prescribed exercises

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

burak menek

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

BURAK MENEK, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medipol University

UMUT İSLAM TAYBOĞA, RA

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medipol University

Sule Ayan, Msc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medipol University

Locations

Istanbul Medipol University

Istanbul, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

E-10840098-202.3.02-240

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id