The Effect of Early-Phase Graded Motor Imagery Following Massive Rotator Cuff Repair.
ConditionShoulder Pain
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age30-65
SponsorAcibadem University
About this trial
Massive rotator cuff tears are associated with significant pain, functional limitations, and prolonged rehabilitation following surgical repair. In the early postoperative phase, rehabilitation protocols are often limited due to surgical protection requirements, which may delay the restoration of motor control and shoulder function. Graded motor imagery (GMI), a movement representation technique that includes laterality recognition, motor imagery, and mirror therapy, has been shown to modulate cortical processing and improve pain and motor function in various musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. However, its potential role in early postoperative shoulder rehabilitation has not been adequately investigated.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age between 30 and 65 years
Presence of an arthroscopically repaired anterior-superior rotator cuff tear, involving the supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons
Disqualifiers
Age younger than 30 years or older than 65 years
Presence of severe malignant, hematological, endocrine, metabolic, rheumatologic, or gastrointestinal diseases
Diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade III or higher, with radiographic evidence of osteophytes)
Current treatment with cytotoxic agents or systemic corticosteroids
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Graded Motor İmagery
Other interventionThe graded motor imagery program will include laterality recognition training, motor imagery exercises, and mirror therapy tasks aimed at activating cortical motor networks without physical shoulder movement during the early postoperative phase.
Treatment groups
38 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Conventional Rehabilitation ProgramActive comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Graded motor imageryExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Pain Intensity (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS)
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), where participants rate their average shoulder pain over the past 24 hours on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Pain will be evaluated at rest, during activity, and at night.
Time frame
Baseline (postoperative day 0), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after surgery.2
Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV)
Participants will rate the overall function of their shoulder on a 10-cm scale ranging from "as bad as it could be" to "as good as it could be."
Time frame
Baseline (postoperative day 0), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.3
Passive Shoulder Range of Motion
Passive shoulder range of motion will be measured using a goniometer.
Time frame
4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after surgery.Secondary outcomes
1
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)
The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-reported questionnaire consisting of pain (5 items) and disability (8 items) subscales. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater pain and functional limitation.
Time frame
6 weeks and 12 weeks after surgery.2
Motor Imagery Ability (VMIQ-2)
Motor imagery ability will be evaluated using the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2), which assesses internal visual imagery, external visual imagery, and kinesthetic imagery across 36 items. Lower scores indicate more vivid imagery ability.
Time frame
Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.3
Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)
The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia evaluates fear of movement related to pain. Scores range from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater fear of movement.
Time frame
Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.4
Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)
The PCS assesses catastrophic thinking related to pain across 13 items. Total scores range from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating greater catastrophizing.
Time frame
Baseline (postoperative day 0), 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov