Rotator Cuff TendinosisNCT07726030
Effects of Rotator Cuff Drills Versus Progressive Resistance Exercises on Chronic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
A study testing Rotator cuff Drills and Progressive resistance exercises in people with Rotator Cuff Tendinosis, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 male overhead athletes (17-35 years) recruited from cricket clubs and sports complexes in Faisalabad. Participants were randomized into Group A (rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) or Group B (PREs: resistance band… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 17 to 35 years, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Rotator Cuff Tendinosis
- What is being tested?
- Rotator cuff Drills and Progressive resistance exercises
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 15 Oct 2025to Oct 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 17 to 35 years
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Professional male overhead athletes aged 17-35 years
- Male overhead athletes playing competitive sports like volleyball, tennis, baseball, cricket, swimming, badminton, and basketball for at least 6 hours a week. Painful arc of movement during flexion or abduction.
- Positive Neer's or Kennedy-Hawkins test
Who cannot join
- Had a previous shoulder surgery.
- Trauma history. Corticosteroid injection within the previous 6 weeks
- Other injuries rather than Rotator cuff tendinopathy
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
Jawad club, Alfatah sports complex
Faisalābad, Punjab Province, 38000
Hamza Azeem, BBA, 03247664872, hamza.azeem2018@gmail.com
03350079772, atharazzem420@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: Effects of Rotator Cuff Drills Versus Progressive Resistance Exercises on Pain, Stability and Functional Performance Among Overhead Athletes With Chronic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 male overhead athletes (17-35 years) recruited from cricket clubs and sports complexes in Faisalabad. Participants were randomized into Group A (rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) or Group B (PREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24, with statistical significance set at *p* ≤ 0.05. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD) summarized continuous variables, while frequencies/percentages described categorical data. Normality was confirmed via Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent *t*-tests, and within-group changes via paired *t*-tests. The study's rigorous blinding and standardized protocols minimized bias, ensuring robust comparisons between interventions.
Read the detailed description
Rotator cuff tendinopathy is a prevalent condition among overhead athletes, significantly impairing performance and function. While both rotator cuff drills and progressive resistance exercises (PREs) are commonly used in rehabilitation, there remains a lack of comparative evidence on their effectiveness, particularly in sport-specific contexts.
Current literature highlights gaps in optimal exercise progression, long-term outcomes, and objective performance metrics for overhead athletes. This study aims to compare these two interventions to determine which approach better improves pain, stability, and functional performance in athletes with chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy, addressing a critical need for evidence-based rehabilitation protocols in sports medicine. A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 male overhead athletes (17-35 years) recruited from cricket clubs and sports complexes in Faisalabad. Participants were randomized into Group A (rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) or Group B (PREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24, with statistical significance set at *p* ≤ 0.05. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD) summarized continuous variables, while frequencies/percentages described categorical data. Normality was confirmed via Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent *t*-tests, and within-group changes via paired *t*-tests. The study's rigorous blinding and standardized protocols minimized bias, ensuring robust comparisons between interventions.
- Conditions
- Rotator Cuff Tendinosis
- Being tested
- Rotator cuff Drills, Progressive resistance exercises
- Keywords
- Overhead Athletes, Rotator cuff tendinopathy, Shoulder pain, Sports rehabilitation
- Medical subject headings
- Rotator Cuff Injuries, Shoulder Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Rotator cuff DrillsOther
(rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles)
Progressive resistance exercisesOther
PREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Rotator Cuff Drills | Experimental | Rotator cuff Drills Receives: Other: Rotator cuff Drills |
| Progressive Resistance exercises | Experimental | Progressive resistance exercises Receives: Other: Progressive resistance exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain through NPRS
The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is an 11-point pain intensity scale where patients rate their pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain),
Measured: Pre and 6 week post interventional
CKCUEST Scale
The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) is a rapid, low-cost functional assessment tool used by physical therapists and sports medicine professionals to quantify shoulder stability, upper-limb power, and trunk control.
Measured: Pre and 6 week post interventional
ULRT Test
The Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) is a physical performance test used in sports medicine and physiotherapy to assess shoulder control, closed-chain stability, and trunk rotation.
Measured: Pre and 6 week post interventional
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Jul 2026
- Study start15 Oct 2025
- Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Rotator Cuff TendinosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Riphah International 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
- Model description
- Randomized clinical trial
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Husnain Mahmood, DPT, Principal investigator, Study Principal Investigator
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07726030
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/25/0421
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Rotator Cuff Drills Versus Progressive Resistance Exercises on Pain, Stability and Functional Performance Among Overhead Athletes With Chronic Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07726030
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/25/0421
- Conditions
- Rotator Cuff Tendinosis
- Keywords
- Overhead Athletes, Rotator cuff tendinopathy, Shoulder pain, Sports rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Jul 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.
A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 male overhead athletes (17-35 years) recruited from cricket clubs and sports complexes in Faisalabad. Participants were randomized into Group A (rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) or Group B (PREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24, with statistical significance set at *p* ≤ 0.05. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD) summarized continuous variables, while frequencies/percentages described categorical data. Normality was confirmed via Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent *t*-tests, and within-group changes via paired *t*-tests. The study's rigorous blinding and standardized protocols minimized bias, ensuring robust comparisons between interventions.
Detailed description
Rotator cuff tendinopathy is a prevalent condition among overhead athletes, significantly impairing performance and function. While both rotator cuff drills and progressive resistance exercises (PREs) are commonly used in rehabilitation, there remains a lack of comparative evidence on their effectiveness, particularly in sport-specific contexts.
Current literature highlights gaps in optimal exercise progression, long-term outcomes, and objective performance metrics for overhead athletes. This study aims to compare these two interventions to determine which approach better improves pain, stability, and functional performance in athletes with chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy, addressing a critical need for evidence-based rehabilitation protocols in sports medicine. A single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 male overhead athletes (17-35 years) recruited from cricket clubs and sports complexes in Faisalabad. Participants were randomized into Group A (rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) or Group B (PREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), and Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24, with statistical significance set at *p* ≤ 0.05. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD) summarized continuous variables, while frequencies/percentages described categorical data. Normality was confirmed via Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent *t*-tests, and within-group changes via paired *t*-tests. The study's rigorous blinding and standardized protocols minimized bias, ensuring robust comparisons between interventions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Randomized clinical trial
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Rotator Cuff Drills | Experimental | Other: Rotator cuff DrillsRotator cuff Drills |
| Progressive Resistance exercises | Experimental | Other: Progressive resistance exercisesProgressive resistance exercises |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 17 to 35 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Professional male overhead athletes aged 17-35 years
- Male overhead athletes playing competitive sports like volleyball, tennis, baseball, cricket, swimming, badminton, and basketball for at least 6 hours a week. Painful arc of movement during flexion or abduction.
- Positive Neer's or Kennedy-Hawkins test
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Had a previous shoulder surgery.
- Trauma history. Corticosteroid injection within the previous 6 weeks
- Other injuries rather than Rotator cuff tendinopathy
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rotator cuff Drills(rotator cuff drills: plyometric medicine ball throws, wall dribbles) | Other | Rotator Cuff Drills |
| Progressive resistance exercisesPREs: resistance band exercises with progressive loading). Both groups underwent 12-week interventions (3 sessions/week) following the FIIT principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type), preceded by a standardized 20-minute warm-up. | Other | Progressive Resistance exercises |
Primary outcome
Pain through NPRS
Time frame: Pre and 6 week post interventional
The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is an 11-point pain intensity scale where patients rate their pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain),
CKCUEST Scale
Time frame: Pre and 6 week post interventional
The Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST) is a rapid, low-cost functional assessment tool used by physical therapists and sports medicine professionals to quantify shoulder stability, upper-limb power, and trunk control.
ULRT Test
Time frame: Pre and 6 week post interventional
The Upper Limb Rotation Test (ULRT) is a physical performance test used in sports medicine and physiotherapy to assess shoulder control, closed-chain stability, and trunk rotation.
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 30 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Rotator Cuff Tendinosis
Recruiting
Embolization Treatment of Chronic Refractory Shoulder Tendinopathy
Shoulder Pain, Tendinopathy
Recruiting
Therapeutic Exercise for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy / Subacromial Pain Syndrome - Outcomes and Mechanisms
Rotator Cuff Tendinosis, Rotator Cuff Tendinitis
Active, not recruitingPhase 4
Connective Tissue Matrix for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy, Shoulder Pain
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.
Husnain Mahmood, DPT principal investigator
Study Principal Investigator
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Rotator cuff Drills and Progressive resistance exercises in people with Rotator Cuff Tendinosis, run by Riphah International University 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 3 inclusion and 3 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 30 Sep 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 Amna Shahid, t-dpt (0334-4512823, amna.shahid@riphah.edu.pk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain through NPRS (time frame: Pre and 6 week post interventional). 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 30 Sep 2026.