Adhesive CapsulitisNCT07328295
Additional Effects of Thoracic Spine Mobilization Combined With Glenohumeral Joint Mobilization on Pain, Range of Motion, and Functional Disability in Adhesive Capsulitis
A study testing Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization and Glenohumeral joint mobilization only in people with Adhesive Capsulitis, run by Foundation University Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Adhesive capsulitis is a debilitating shoulder condition characterized by pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and significant functional limitations. Conventional treatment primarily targets the glenohumeral joint, often neglecting the role of regional interdependence, particularly the thoracic spine's influence… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Adhesive Capsulitis
- What is being tested?
- Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization and Glenohumeral joint mobilization only
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 34 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 15 Jan 2025to 15 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 40 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- • Both male and female patients with a primary complaint of unilateral or bilateral shoulder pain
- Pain has persisted for at least 3 to 4 months
- Decreased shoulder ROM observed, including external shoulder rotation, abduction, internal rotation, and flexion
- Age range between 40 to 65 years
- Diagnosed with stage 2nd or 3rd of the disease.
Who cannot join
- • Patients if they had any shoulder pain resulting from systematic disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (morning stiffness > 1 hour, multiple small joints pain/swelling) Infection, Tumors, and conditions like myelopathy (Hoffman's sign).
- Recent shoulder joint fracture/ trauma.
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (Roos test).
- The presence of Cervical radiculopathy (Spurling's test)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Foundation University College of Physical Therapy
Islamabad, Punjab Province, 46000
Laiba Malik, DPT, +923495049904, mlaiba085@gmail.com
About this study
Adhesive capsulitis is a debilitating shoulder condition characterized by pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and significant functional limitations. Conventional treatment primarily targets the glenohumeral joint, often neglecting the role of regional interdependence, particularly the thoracic spine's influence on shoulder mobility. Emerging evidence suggests that thoracic spine mobility plays a crucial role in optimizing shoulder mechanics, yet its therapeutic application in adhesive capsulitis remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the additional effects of thoracic spine mobilization combined with glenohumeral joint mobilization, providing a more comprehensive rehabilitation approach to enhance pain relief, ROM, and functional outcomes.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted over one year at the Rehabilitation Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH) after obtaining ethical approval. Participants diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis will be selected through non-probability purposive sampling based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group receiving thoracic spine mobilization alongside glenohumeral joint mobilization or the control group receiving glenohumeral joint mobilization alone. Randomization will be conducted using the coin toss method and block randomization to ensure balanced subject distribution.
Outcome measures include the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain assessment, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) for functional disability evaluation, and a goniometer for ROM measurement. Baseline and post-treatment scores will be statistically analyzed using SPSS to determine intervention effectiveness. By integrating thoracic spine mobilization into standard treatment, this study seeks to refine clinical rehabilitation protocols, improve functional recovery, and enhance patient outcomes. Findings may contribute to evidence-based practice, supporting the inclusion of thoracic spine mobilization in treatment guidelines for adhesive capsulitis.
Read the detailed description
Adhesive capsulitis, widely known as frozen shoulder, is a progressive musculoskeletal condition characterized by shoulder pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and marked functional limitations. Traditional treatment approaches have largely focused on mobilization techniques directed at the glenohumeral joint, aiming to reduce capsular tightness and restore movement. While this is effective to some degree, it does not fully address the concept of regional interdependence, where dysfunction in adjacent regions, particularly the thoracic spine, may influence shoulder function. The thoracic spine plays a vital role in maintaining optimal shoulder kinematics by supporting scapular positioning, facilitating overhead motion, and reducing compensatory stress on the glenohumeral joint. Stiffness or hypomobility in this region may therefore perpetuate pain and mechanical restriction in adhesive capsulitis. Treatment strategies that combine glenohumeral joint mobilization with thoracic spine mobilization have the potential to provide superior outcomes compared to conventional therapy alone. Thoracic mobilization techniques, including central and unilateral posterior-anterior glides, enhance spinal extension and rotation, indirectly improving scapular mobility and shoulder elevation. When paired with targeted glenohumeral mobilizations such as anterior, posterior, and inferior glides, patients may experience greater improvements in pain relief, ROM, and functional ability. These three variables-pain, ROM, and functional disability-are critical in determining treatment effectiveness. By incorporating thoracic mobilization into standard rehabilitation, clinicians may adopt a more holistic approach that enhances recovery, promotes long-term function, and improves the quality of life for individuals with adhesive capsulitis.
- Conditions
- Adhesive Capsulitis
- Being tested
- Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization, Glenohumeral joint mobilization only
- Keywords
- adhesive capsulitis
- Medical subject headings
- Bursitis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilizationProcedure or surgery
Thoracic spine mobilization: Central posterior-anterior (PA) oscillatory mobilizations in prone position; 30 repetitions per set, with a 1-minute rest between 2 sets.
Glenohumeral joint mobilization: Oscillatory techniques, 2-3 oscillations per second for 30 seconds, repeated for 5 sets.
Glenohumeral joint mobilization onlyProcedure or surgery
Glenohumeral joint mobilization only Technique: Oscillatory mobilizations, 2-3 oscillations per second for 30 seconds, repeated for 5 sets.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization | Experimental | Participant receive Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization to enhance shoulder mechanics and outcomes Receives: Procedure: Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization |
| Glenohumeral joint mobilization | Active comparator | Participant receive Glenohumeral joint mobilization only to enhance shoulder mechanics and outcomes Receives: Procedure: Glenohumeral joint mobilization only |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain Intensity
Pain intensity will be checked by Numeric pain rating scale NPRS, where patient will rate pain from 0 to 10, 0 being no pain and 10 means worst pain.
Measured: 4 weeks
Functional disability
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) used to assess functional disability and it is 13-question survey (5 pain, 8 disability) on a 0-100 scale, where 0 is best (no pain/difficulty) and 100 is worst (severe pain/complete disability), indicating higher scores mean greater impairment; it's interpreted by looking at general ranges (0-20 mild, 21-40 moderate, etc.) and tracking changes (a 10-20 point shift suggests clinical significance) to gauge treatment effectiveness.
Measured: 4 weeks
Shoulder Range of Motion
Goniometer used to measure shoulder joint range of motion.
Measured: 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jan 2026
- Study start15 Jan 2025
- Primary completion30 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jan 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Adhesive CapsulitisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Foundation University IslamabadThe 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
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Foundation University Islamabad
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07328295
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- FUI/CTR/2025/22
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 26 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 9 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Additional Effects of Thoracic Spine Mobilization Combined With Glenohumeral Joint Mobilization on Pain, Range of Motion, and Functional Disability in Adhesive Capsulitis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07328295
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FUI/CTR/2025/22
- Conditions
- Adhesive Capsulitis
- Keywords
- adhesive capsulitis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Foundation University IslamabadUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jan 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Jan 2026 (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.
Adhesive capsulitis is a debilitating shoulder condition characterized by pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and significant functional limitations. Conventional treatment primarily targets the glenohumeral joint, often neglecting the role of regional interdependence, particularly the thoracic spine's influence on shoulder mobility. Emerging evidence suggests that thoracic spine mobility plays a crucial role in optimizing shoulder mechanics, yet its therapeutic application in adhesive capsulitis remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the additional effects of thoracic spine mobilization combined with glenohumeral joint mobilization, providing a more comprehensive rehabilitation approach to enhance pain relief, ROM, and functional outcomes.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted over one year at the Rehabilitation Department of Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH) after obtaining ethical approval. Participants diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis will be selected through non-probability purposive sampling based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group receiving thoracic spine mobilization alongside glenohumeral joint mobilization or the control group receiving glenohumeral joint mobilization alone. Randomization will be conducted using the coin toss method and block randomization to ensure balanced subject distribution.
Outcome measures include the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain assessment, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) for functional disability evaluation, and a goniometer for ROM measurement. Baseline and post-treatment scores will be statistically analyzed using SPSS to determine intervention effectiveness. By integrating thoracic spine mobilization into standard treatment, this study seeks to refine clinical rehabilitation protocols, improve functional recovery, and enhance patient outcomes. Findings may contribute to evidence-based practice, supporting the inclusion of thoracic spine mobilization in treatment guidelines for adhesive capsulitis.
Detailed description
Adhesive capsulitis, widely known as frozen shoulder, is a progressive musculoskeletal condition characterized by shoulder pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and marked functional limitations. Traditional treatment approaches have largely focused on mobilization techniques directed at the glenohumeral joint, aiming to reduce capsular tightness and restore movement. While this is effective to some degree, it does not fully address the concept of regional interdependence, where dysfunction in adjacent regions, particularly the thoracic spine, may influence shoulder function. The thoracic spine plays a vital role in maintaining optimal shoulder kinematics by supporting scapular positioning, facilitating overhead motion, and reducing compensatory stress on the glenohumeral joint. Stiffness or hypomobility in this region may therefore perpetuate pain and mechanical restriction in adhesive capsulitis. Treatment strategies that combine glenohumeral joint mobilization with thoracic spine mobilization have the potential to provide superior outcomes compared to conventional therapy alone. Thoracic mobilization techniques, including central and unilateral posterior-anterior glides, enhance spinal extension and rotation, indirectly improving scapular mobility and shoulder elevation. When paired with targeted glenohumeral mobilizations such as anterior, posterior, and inferior glides, patients may experience greater improvements in pain relief, ROM, and functional ability. These three variables-pain, ROM, and functional disability-are critical in determining treatment effectiveness. By incorporating thoracic mobilization into standard rehabilitation, clinicians may adopt a more holistic approach that enhances recovery, promotes long-term function, and improves the quality of life for individuals with adhesive capsulitis.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization | Experimental | Procedure: Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilizationParticipant receive Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization to enhance shoulder mechanics and outcomes |
| Glenohumeral joint mobilization | Active comparator | Procedure: Glenohumeral joint mobilization onlyParticipant receive Glenohumeral joint mobilization only to enhance shoulder mechanics and outcomes |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- • Both male and female patients with a primary complaint of unilateral or bilateral shoulder pain
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- • Patients if they had any shoulder pain resulting from systematic disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (morning stiffness > 1 hour, multiple small joints pain/swelling) Infection, Tumors, and conditions like myelopathy (Hoffman's sign).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilizationThoracic spine mobilization: Central posterior-anterior (PA) oscillatory mobilizations in prone position; 30 repetitions per set, with a 1-minute rest between 2 sets. Glenohumeral joint mobilization: Oscillatory techniques, 2-3 oscillations per second for 30 seconds, repeated for 5 sets. | Procedure or surgery | Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization |
| Glenohumeral joint mobilization onlyGlenohumeral joint mobilization only Technique: Oscillatory mobilizations, 2-3 oscillations per second for 30 seconds, repeated for 5 sets. | Procedure or surgery | Glenohumeral joint mobilization |
Primary outcome
Pain Intensity
Time frame: 4 weeks
Pain intensity will be checked by Numeric pain rating scale NPRS, where patient will rate pain from 0 to 10, 0 being no pain and 10 means worst pain.
Functional disability
Time frame: 4 weeks
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) used to assess functional disability and it is 13-question survey (5 pain, 8 disability) on a 0-100 scale, where 0 is best (no pain/difficulty) and 100 is worst (severe pain/complete disability), indicating higher scores mean greater impairment; it's interpreted by looking at general ranges (0-20 mild, 21-40 moderate, etc.) and tracking changes (a 10-20 point shift suggests clinical significance) to gauge treatment effectiveness.
Shoulder Range of Motion
Time frame: 4 weeks
Goniometer used to measure shoulder joint range of motion.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jan 2026.
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Thoracic spine mobilization with Glenohumeral joint mobilization and Glenohumeral joint mobilization only in people with Adhesive Capsulitis, run by Foundation University Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
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 5 inclusion and 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jan 2026. 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 Pakistan. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Laiba Malik, DPT (+3495049904, mlaiba085@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain Intensity (time frame: 4 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 9 Jan 2026.