Rotator Cuff TendinopathyNCT07823933
The Effect of TECAR Therapy on Pain and Shoulder Function in Patients With Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy
A study testing tecar therapy and physical therapy in people with Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy and TECAR Therapy, run by Ayşe Ukbe Baykut at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Shoulder pain is one of the most common symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries; one-quarter of the general population and two-thirds of adults experience this problem at some point in their lives.Rotator cuff tendinopathy also presents as a significant socio-economic issue, affecting patients' functionality, sleep… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy, TECAR Therapy, Physical Therapy
- What is being tested?
- tecar therapy and physical therapy
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 18 Sep 2026to 1 Nov 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
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 18 to 75 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Individuals experiencing pain in the shoulder and/or lateral deltoid region, with pain exacerbation during overhead activities.
- Individuals exhibiting tenderness upon palpation at the rotator cuff tendon insertion site on the proximal humerus and/or restricted range of motion during active shoulder flexion, abduction, and internal and external rotation upon physical examination.
- Individuals diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinosis or a partial-thickness tendon tear via imaging methods (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging).
Who cannot join
- Full-thickness rotator cuff tear
- Previous shoulder surgery
- Presence of other conditions capable of causing shoulder pain and loss of function (other joint pathologies, cervical radiculopathy, etc.)
- Systemic diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, or coagulopathy
- Pregnancy
- Infection
Show all 10Show fewer
- Pacemaker
- Peripheral circulatory disorder
- Known concomitant malignancy or end-stage organ failure
- Intra-articular/subacromial steroid injection within the last 6 weeks or NSAID treatment within the last week.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
kerem Çekinel contact
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Bilkent City Hospital
Ankara, Ankara, 06800
Ayşe U Baykut, +0905367355246, drukbe@hotmail.com
kerem çekinel
About this study
Shoulder pain is one of the most common symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries; one-quarter of the general population and two-thirds of adults experience this problem at some point in their lives.Rotator cuff tendinopathy also presents as a significant socio-economic issue, affecting patients' functionality, sleep, quality of life, and work performance.
TECAR therapy (Targeted Radiofrequency Therapy) is a relatively new physical therapy method. This technique aims to induce hyperthermia in deep tissues by transferring high-frequency electromagnetic energy via capacitive-resistive electric transfer (CRET). This study aims to directly compare TECAR-a relatively new treatment modality-with exercise, which is crucial in shoulder rehabilitation, by evaluating the effects of both treatments on pain reduction, shoulder function, and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
Read the detailed description
Shoulder pain is one of the most common symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries; one-quarter of the general population and two-thirds of adults experience this problem at some point in their lives. Its prevalence is estimated to be between 15% and 30% of the population. The most common cause of shoulder pain is rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy. This structure surrounds the shoulder and comprises the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor muscles, as well as the long head of the biceps brachii-though some authors exclude the biceps brachii. Rotator cuff tendinopathy is a prevalent health issue characterized by chronic degeneration resulting from repetitive stress on the shoulder. This degeneration can lead to a range of clinical presentations, varying from simple tendinosis to partial- or full-thickness rotator cuff tears. Multiple factors-such as excessive tensile loading, primary and secondary subacromial impingement, and deficiencies in repair mechanisms-play a role in the development of rotator cuff tendinopathy. Rotator cuff tendinopathy also presents as a significant socio-economic issue, affecting patients' functionality, sleep, quality of life, and work performance.
TECAR therapy (Targeted Radiofrequency Therapy) is a relatively new physical therapy method. This technique aims to induce hyperthermia in deep tissues by transferring high-frequency electromagnetic energy via capacitive-resistive electric transfer (CRET). It has beneficial effects, particularly in musculoskeletal conditions, by reducing pain and improving functional status. Its efficacy has been investigated-and improvements reported-in conditions such as lower back pain, knee pain, Achilles tendon pathologies, rotator cuff tendon pathologies, pelvic floor disorders, lymphedema, and visceral pathologies like chronic constipation.
There are few studies in the literature regarding the efficacy of TECAR therapy in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy, and no studies comparing it with exercise have been found. This study aims to directly compare TECAR-a relatively new treatment modality-with exercise, which is crucial in shoulder rehabilitation, by evaluating the effects of both treatments on pain reduction, shoulder function, and quality of life in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy.
- Conditions
- Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy, TECAR Therapy, Physical Therapy
- Being tested
- tecar therapy, physical therapy
- Keywords
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy, TECAR therapy, Physical Therapy, TR-terapi- targeted Radiofrequency Therapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
tecar therapyDevice
A shoulder exercise program-comprising range-of-motion exercises, stretching exercises (including the posterior joint capsule and pectoral muscles), rotator cuff strengthening exercises, and scapular mobilization exercises-will be administered over a total of 10 sessions, at a frequency of 5 sessions per week. In addition to the exercises, TECAR therapy will be administered over a total of 10 sessions (5 sessions per week), consisting of a total duration of 25 minutes (10 minutes in capacitive mode and 15 minutes in resistive mode at a frequency of 448 kHz).
physical therapyOther
A total of 10 treatment sessions-consisting of 5 sessions per week-will be administered, comprising a shoulder exercise program that includes range-of-motion exercises, stretching exercises (targeting the posterior joint capsule and pectoral muscles), rotator cuff strengthening exercises, and scapular mobilization exercises.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapy Group | Active comparator | A total of 10 treatment sessions-consisting of 5 sessions per week-will be administered, comprising a shoulder exercise program that includes range-of-motion exercises, stretching exercises (targeting the posterior joint capsule and pectoral muscles), rotator cuff strengthening exercises, and scapular mobilization exercises. Receives: Device: tecar therapy; Other: physical therapy |
| TECAR Group | Active comparator | In addition to exercise, TECAR therapy will be administered for a total of 10 sessions-at a frequency of 448 kHz and a duration of 25 minutes per session (10 minutes in capacitive mode and 15 minutes in resistive mode)-with a frequency of 5 sessions per week. Receives: Device: tecar therapy; Other: physical therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Visual Analog Scale (VAS): Pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 ("no pain") to 10 ("worst pain imaginable"). Participants will mark the point on the scale that best represents their perceived pain intensity at the time of assessment. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.
Measured: Baseline (T0)Week 2 (T1): At the end of the first group treatmentPost-treatment (T2): Immediately after completion of the treatment program
Secondary outcomes (4)
Shoulder joint range of motion measurements
Shoulder Joint Range of Motion (ROM): Joint range of motion will be assessed using a standard goniometer. The range of motion of the specified joint(s) will be measured in degrees (°) according to standardized measurement procedures. Higher values indicate a greater range of joint motion.
Measured: Baseline (T0)Week 2 (T1): At the end of the first group treatmentPost-treatment (T2): Immediately after completion of the treatment program
Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index
Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC): The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) is a patient-reported outcome measure used to assess health-related quality of life in individuals with rotator cuff disorders. It consists of 21 items covering five domains: physical symptoms, sports/recreation, work, lifestyle, and emotions. Each item is scored on a visual analog scale. The total score is transformed to a 0-100 scale, with higher scores indicating poorer quality of life.
Measured: Baseline (T0)Week 2 (T1): At the end of the first group treatmentPost-treatment (T2): Immediately after completion of the treatment program
Shoulder Pain and Disabilty Index
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI): The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess pain and disability related to shoulder disorders. It consists of 13 items divided into two subscales: pain (5 items) and disability (8 items). Each item is scored on a visual analog scale from 0 to 10. The total score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater pain and disability.
Measured: Baseline (T0)Week 2 (T1): At the end of the first group treatmentPost-treatment (T2): Immediately after completion of the treatment program
Nottingham Health Profile (NHP)
Nottingham Health Profile (NHP): The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) is a patient-reported outcome measure used to assess perceived health-related quality of life. It consists of 38 yes/no items covering six domains: energy level, pain, emotional reactions, sleep, social isolation, and physical mobility. Each domain is scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater perceived health problems and poorer health-related quality of life.
Measured: Baseline (T0)Week 2 (T1): At the end of the first group treatmentPost-treatment (T2): Immediately after completion of the treatment program
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Sep 2026
- Study start18 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion18 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Nov 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 TendinopathyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ayşe Ukbe Baykut
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Ankara Bilkent Sehir Hastanesi
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Ayşe Ukbe Baykut, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
- Investigators
- Ayşe U BAYKUT, Principal investigator, Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07823933
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ACHBİLKENTAUBAYKUT006
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: I haven't been able to decide yet.