Subacromial Impingement SyndromeNCT07265765
Effectiveness of Pilates Exercise in Patients With Subacromial Impingement Syndrome
A study testing Conventional and Pilates exercise in people with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome and Pilates Exercise, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome(SIS) is considered as one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, can be the source of considerable pain, disability and leads to limitations in activities of daily living. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 35 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Subacromial Impingement Syndrome, Pilates Exercise, Shoulder Bursitis
- What is being tested?
- Conventional and Pilates exercise
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 34 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 16 Jun 2025to 18 Aug 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 35 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Male and female patients aged between 35-65 years old
- Presence of shoulder pain for at least three months
- Painful arc of movement during flexion or abduction or both
- The patient will be diagnosed with SIS if the tests of the Neer, Empty Can, and Hawkins will be positive during the physical examination.
Who cannot join
- History of any surgical procedure to the affected upper extremity (Heron et al., 2017 and).
- History of trauma, fracture, instability and shoulder dislocation to the shoulder in less than 12 weeks previously (EDA et al., 2016).
- History of presence of cervical symptoms (neck pain, numbness or tingling in the upper extremity) (Heron et al., 2017).
- History of corticosteroid injection in the shoulder region in the last 6 months (Turgut et al., 2017).
- None- cooperative participants or cognitive impairment (a communication problem) (EDA et al., 2016).
- History of any systemic illness, reflex sympathetic dystrophy and related syndromes e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, diagnosed by physician (Heron et al., 2017 and Turgut et al., 2017).
- Passive limitation of range of movement, stiff shoulder and less than 90 active elevation (Heron et al., 2017 and EDA et al., 2016).
- Evidence of complete rotator cuff tear (positive drop arm test) (Heron et al., 2017).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Egypt1 site
Faculty of Physical Therapy Cairo University
Cairo, Giza Governorate, 11432
About this study
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome(SIS) is considered as one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, can be the source of considerable pain, disability and leads to limitations in activities of daily living.
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Pilates versus conventional treatment on shoulder pain, function, ROM and muscle strength in patients with SIS.
Read the detailed description
Shoulder pain is the third most common chronic pain among musculoskeletal disorders, following low back pain and knee pain; it is usually characterized as non-traumatic complaints that arise from arm, neck and shoulder regions.
Approximately 50% of those experiencing shoulder pain have symptoms that indicate subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) diagnosis; the prognosis varies widely; from pain to limited range of motion affecting their daily life activities: with about 40% of individuals suffer from pain one year later after their initial consulting with their primary care clinician.
The SIS is a painful condition that characterized by narrowing of the subacromial space that causes inflammation and degeneration of rotator cuff structures, resulting in pain during arm elevating.
Previous research identified many causes for the impingement such as poor posture, overuse or repetitive trauma, age-related changes, fatigue of the scapular and glenohumeral muscles, biomechanical alterations, neuromuscular adaptations, rotator cuff and deltoid muscle imbalances.
It leads to pain, disability, limited range of motion (ROM), loss of muscle strength, poor quality of life and sleep disturbances. There are many treatment approaches adopted for SIS such as conservative, pharmaceutical and surgical approach in severe cases.
Regarding the conservative it is considered the main treatment of SIS it often includes therapeutic exercises such as scapular stabilization exercises, rotator cuff strengthening exercises, stretching exercises and Pilates exercise that are effective in restoring shoulder function.
Pilates exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates as a comprehensive exercise, emphasizes the connection between mind and body control, making it a valuable tool in rehabilitation for enhancing core muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, posture, ROM, overall health, and quality of life are prevalent for both healthy individuals and rehabilitation purposes for SIS.
Pilates has been shown to effectively reduce shoulder pain, improve ROM, enhance posture, and support functional recovery in individuals with chronic shoulder pain, as highlighted in studies emphasizing its role in core stability and movement control even though it has a favorable impacts, the evidence to demonstrate its effect is limited.
- Being tested
- Conventional, Pilates exercise
- Keywords
- pilates exercise, subacromial impingement
- Medical subject headings
- Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ConventionalBehavioural
patients received conventional physical therapy exercise program that include (rotator cuff strength exercise, scapular stability exercise and posterior capsule stretch exercise) for 18 sessions for 6 weeks
Pilates exerciseBehavioural
patients who received the Pilates exercise in form of (shoulder drop, chest opener, book opening, scarecrow, dart, quadruped exercise, spine twist exercise).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| conventional group | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Conventional |
| pilates exercise group | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Pilates exercise |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
shoulder function
measured by the Arabic version of the SPADI (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess shoulder pain and disability in outpatients. It consists of 13 items: a 5-item pain subscale and an 8 item disability subscale; it is widely used and available in multiple languages such as the Arabic version ;with higher values indicating greater severity.
Measured: measured at baseline then after 6 weeks
Shoulder Pian
measured using Numerical Pain scale It is a self-reported scale where the patient rates their pain on a numerical range, usually from 0 to 10; where the zero indicate less pain and 10 worst pain
Measured: at baseline and after 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
shoulder ROM(abduction and internal rotation)
measured by Digital goniometer The digital goniometer (DG)is a precise and user-friendly tool for measuring joint ROM in rehabilitation, offering real-time feedback and improved accuracy over the universal goniometer. It is commonly used for shoulder impingement assessment, helping track progress and ensures safe mobility improvements
Measured: measured at baseline and after 6 weeks
shoulder muscle strength(UT,MT,LT,SA,ER,IR)
measured by HHD(Hand Held Dynamometer)(Lafayette) The handheld dynamometer (HHD) (model 01165, Lafayette Instrument Company, Indiana, USA)Is a reliable and objective tool for assessing isometric muscle strength, outperforming manual muscle testing. Lightweight and portable, it has strong concurrent validity, making it practical for strength evaluation. It is the preferred method for measuring shoulder rotator strength in symptomatic patients in clinical setting
Measured: measured at baseline and after 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Dec 2025
- Study start16 Jun 2025
- Primary completion27 Jul 2025
- Study completion18 Aug 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (9)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Subacromial Impingement SyndromeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ahmed Muhamed Kamal Omar, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07265765
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- pilates effect in shoulder SIS
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 25 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 15 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Publications
Alsanawi HA, Alghadir A, Anwer S, Roach KE, Alawaji A. Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. Int J Rehabil Res. 2015 Sep;38(3):270-5. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000118.
PubMed 25954858Nazari G, MacDermid JC, Bryant D, Athwal GS. The effectiveness of surgical vs conservative interventions on pain and function in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019 May 29;14(5):e0216961. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216961. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 31141546Melo ASC, Moreira JS, Afreixo V, Moreira-Goncalves D, Donato H, Cruz EB, Vilas-Boas JP, Sousa ASP. Effectiveness of specific scapular therapeutic exercises in patients with shoulder pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis. JSES Rev Rep Tech. 2024 Jan 19;4(2):161-174. doi: 10.1016/j.xrrt.2023.12.006. eCollection 2024 May.
PubMed 38706660Lee SM, Lee CH, O'Sullivan D, Jung JH, Park JJ. Clinical effectiveness of a Pilates treatment for forward head posture. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016 Jul;28(7):2009-13. doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.2009. Epub 2016 Jul 29.
PubMed 27512253Desmeules F, Roy JS, Lafrance S, Charron M, Dube MO, Dupuis F, Beneciuk JM, Grimes J, Kim HM, Lamontagne M, McCreesh K, Shanley E, Vukobrat T, Michener LA. Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy Diagnosis, Nonsurgical Medical Care, and Rehabilitation: A Clinical Practice Guideline. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025 Apr;55(4):235-274. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2025.13182.
PubMed 40165544Cruz-Ferreira A, Fernandes J, Laranjo L, Bernardo LM, Silva A. A systematic review of the effects of pilates method of exercise in healthy people. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011 Dec;92(12):2071-81. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.06.018. Epub 2011 Oct 24.
PubMed 22030232Chamorro C, Arancibia M, Trigo B, Arias-Poblete L, Jerez-Mayorga D. Absolute Reliability and Concurrent Validity of Hand-Held Dynamometry in Shoulder Rotator Strength Assessment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 3;18(17):9293. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179293.
PubMed 34501883Byrnes K, Wu PJ, Whillier S. Is Pilates an effective rehabilitation tool? A systematic review. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2018 Jan;22(1):192-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
PubMed 29332746Atilgan E, Aytar A, Caglar A, Tigli AA, Arin G, Yapali G, Kisacik P, Berberoglu U, Sener HO, Unal E. The effects of Clinical Pilates exercises on patients with shoulder pain: A randomised clinical trial. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Oct;21(4):847-851. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.02.003. Epub 2017 Mar 4.
PubMed 29037638
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Pilates Exercise in Patients With Subacromial Impingement Syndrome
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07265765
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- pilates effect in shoulder SIS
- Keywords
- pilates exercise, subacromial impingement
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 Aug 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome(SIS) is considered as one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, can be the source of considerable pain, disability and leads to limitations in activities of daily living.
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Pilates versus conventional treatment on shoulder pain, function, ROM and muscle strength in patients with SIS.
Detailed description
Shoulder pain is the third most common chronic pain among musculoskeletal disorders, following low back pain and knee pain; it is usually characterized as non-traumatic complaints that arise from arm, neck and shoulder regions.
Approximately 50% of those experiencing shoulder pain have symptoms that indicate subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) diagnosis; the prognosis varies widely; from pain to limited range of motion affecting their daily life activities: with about 40% of individuals suffer from pain one year later after their initial consulting with their primary care clinician.
The SIS is a painful condition that characterized by narrowing of the subacromial space that causes inflammation and degeneration of rotator cuff structures, resulting in pain during arm elevating.
Previous research identified many causes for the impingement such as poor posture, overuse or repetitive trauma, age-related changes, fatigue of the scapular and glenohumeral muscles, biomechanical alterations, neuromuscular adaptations, rotator cuff and deltoid muscle imbalances.
It leads to pain, disability, limited range of motion (ROM), loss of muscle strength, poor quality of life and sleep disturbances. There are many treatment approaches adopted for SIS such as conservative, pharmaceutical and surgical approach in severe cases.
Regarding the conservative it is considered the main treatment of SIS it often includes therapeutic exercises such as scapular stabilization exercises, rotator cuff strengthening exercises, stretching exercises and Pilates exercise that are effective in restoring shoulder function.
Pilates exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates as a comprehensive exercise, emphasizes the connection between mind and body control, making it a valuable tool in rehabilitation for enhancing core muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, posture, ROM, overall health, and quality of life are prevalent for both healthy individuals and rehabilitation purposes for SIS.
Pilates has been shown to effectively reduce shoulder pain, improve ROM, enhance posture, and support functional recovery in individuals with chronic shoulder pain, as highlighted in studies emphasizing its role in core stability and movement control even though it has a favorable impacts, the evidence to demonstrate its effect is limited.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| conventional group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Conventional |
| pilates exercise group | Experimental | Behavioral: Pilates exercise |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 35 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Male and female patients aged between 35-65 years old
- Presence of shoulder pain for at least three months
- Painful arc of movement during flexion or abduction or both
- The patient will be diagnosed with SIS if the tests of the Neer, Empty Can, and Hawkins will be positive during the physical examination.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- History of any surgical procedure to the affected upper extremity (Heron et al., 2017 and).
- History of trauma, fracture, instability and shoulder dislocation to the shoulder in less than 12 weeks previously (EDA et al., 2016).
- History of presence of cervical symptoms (neck pain, numbness or tingling in the upper extremity) (Heron et al., 2017).
- History of corticosteroid injection in the shoulder region in the last 6 months (Turgut et al., 2017).
- None- cooperative participants or cognitive impairment (a communication problem) (EDA et al., 2016).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Conventionalpatients received conventional physical therapy exercise program that include (rotator cuff strength exercise, scapular stability exercise and posterior capsule stretch exercise) for 18 sessions for 6 weeks | Behavioural | conventional group |
| Pilates exercisepatients who received the Pilates exercise in form of (shoulder drop, chest opener, book opening, scarecrow, dart, quadruped exercise, spine twist exercise). | Behavioural | pilates exercise group |
Primary outcome
shoulder function
Time frame: measured at baseline then after 6 weeks
measured by the Arabic version of the SPADI (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess shoulder pain and disability in outpatients. It consists of 13 items: a 5-item pain subscale and an 8 item disability subscale; it is widely used and available in multiple languages such as the Arabic version ;with higher values indicating greater severity.
Shoulder Pian
Time frame: at baseline and after 6 weeks
measured using Numerical Pain scale It is a self-reported scale where the patient rates their pain on a numerical range, usually from 0 to 10; where the zero indicate less pain and 10 worst pain
2 secondary outcomes
shoulder ROM(abduction and internal rotation)
Time frame: measured at baseline and after 6 weeks
shoulder muscle strength(UT,MT,LT,SA,ER,IR)
Time frame: measured at baseline and after 6 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Dec 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 25954858Alsanawi HA, Alghadir A, Anwer S, Roach KE, Alawaji A. Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. Int J Rehabil Res. 2015 Sep;38(3):270-5. doi: 10.1097/MRR.0000000000000118.
- Results publication: PubMed 31141546Nazari G, MacDermid JC, Bryant D, Athwal GS. The effectiveness of surgical vs conservative interventions on pain and function in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019 May 29;14(5):e0216961. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216961. eCollection 2019.
- Results publication: PubMed 38706660Melo ASC, Moreira JS, Afreixo V, Moreira-Goncalves D, Donato H, Cruz EB, Vilas-Boas JP, Sousa ASP. Effectiveness of specific scapular therapeutic exercises in patients with shoulder pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis. JSES Rev Rep Tech. 2024 Jan 19;4(2):161-174. doi: 10.1016/j.xrrt.2023.12.006. eCollection 2024 May.
- Results publication: PubMed 27512253Lee SM, Lee CH, O'Sullivan D, Jung JH, Park JJ. Clinical effectiveness of a Pilates treatment for forward head posture. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016 Jul;28(7):2009-13. doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.2009. Epub 2016 Jul 29.
- Results publication: PubMed 40165544Desmeules F, Roy JS, Lafrance S, Charron M, Dube MO, Dupuis F, Beneciuk JM, Grimes J, Kim HM, Lamontagne M, McCreesh K, Shanley E, Vukobrat T, Michener LA. Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy Diagnosis, Nonsurgical Medical Care, and Rehabilitation: A Clinical Practice Guideline. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025 Apr;55(4):235-274. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2025.13182.
- Results publication: PubMed 22030232Cruz-Ferreira A, Fernandes J, Laranjo L, Bernardo LM, Silva A. A systematic review of the effects of pilates method of exercise in healthy people. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011 Dec;92(12):2071-81. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.06.018. Epub 2011 Oct 24.
- Results publication: PubMed 34501883Chamorro C, Arancibia M, Trigo B, Arias-Poblete L, Jerez-Mayorga D. Absolute Reliability and Concurrent Validity of Hand-Held Dynamometry in Shoulder Rotator Strength Assessment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 3;18(17):9293. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179293.
- Results publication: PubMed 29332746Byrnes K, Wu PJ, Whillier S. Is Pilates an effective rehabilitation tool? A systematic review. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2018 Jan;22(1):192-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Apr 26.
- Results publication: PubMed 29037638Atilgan E, Aytar A, Caglar A, Tigli AA, Arin G, Yapali G, Kisacik P, Berberoglu U, Sener HO, Unal E. The effects of Clinical Pilates exercises on patients with shoulder pain: A randomised clinical trial. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Oct;21(4):847-851. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.02.003. Epub 2017 Mar 4.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Conventional and Pilates exercise in people with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome and Pilates Exercise, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
shoulder function (time frame: measured at baseline then after 6 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07265765, which also lists 9 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Dec 2025.