An observational study in Chronic Shoulder Pain, sponsored by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Recruiting at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-14.
Sponsored by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · Observational
Prior research has explored factors influencing muscle activation, including muscle thickness, fear avoidance beliefs (kinesiophobia), and somatosensory integration. In individuals with chronic shoulder pain, various characteristics impacting symptoms and treatment outcomes have been identified, such as psychosocial factors, fear avoidance, central sensitization, somatosensory impairments, and brain morphology changes. These shared characteristics affecting both muscle activation and chronic shoulder pain may potentially modulate upper trapezius muscle activation during functional movements in patients with chronic shoulder pain. Notably, there remains a gap in the literature concerning investigations into the upper trapezius muscle's morphology and quality, fear avoidance, central sensitization, somatosensory impairments, and their interplay with upper trapezius muscle activation in chronic shoulder pain patients.
To address these gaps, this study aims to: this study aims to: 1) compare different methods of measuring clavicular kinematics using an electromagnetic tracking system; 2) establish the reliability and validity of measuring muscle thickness and fat infiltration through ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging; 3) compare shoulder kinematics, muscle activation, muscle morphology, and muscle fat infiltration in individuals with chronic shoulder pain with matched healthy controls; 4) explore the correlation between the factors that may influence upper trapezius muscle activation, including basic data of the subjects, muscle morphology, and muscle fat infiltration.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University is the lead sponsor of 201 studies on the registry; 58 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Community Sample
Chronic shoulder pain group
Healthy control group
Exclusion Criteria:
- Chronic shoulder pain group
Shoulder kinematics
The scapular kinematics will be assessed, including scapular internal/external rotation, upward/downward rotation, and posterior/anterior tilt angle. Clavicular kinematics will be evaluated by measuring clavicular protraction/retraction, elevation/depression, and posterior rotation angle.
Time frame: During the procedure
Muscle activation
The average root mean square (RMS) value collected from surface EMG and outcomes collected by high-density EMG including average root mean square (RMS) value in whole/upper/lower regions, the RMS value distribution, and position of the barycentre of RMS distribution in different humeral elevation angles and different isometric shoulder and scapular tasks will be the outcome measures related to muscle activation.
Time frame: During the procedure
Oscillation frequency
The oscillation frequency (Hz) of the muscle obtained from the myotonometer will represent the muscle tone
Time frame: During the procedure
Dynamic stiffness
The dynamic stiffness (N/m) of the muscle obtained from the myotonometer will represent the muscle tone
Time frame: During the procedure
Mechanical stress relaxation time (ms)
The mechanical stress relaxation time (ms) of the muscle obtained from the myotonometer will represent the muscle tone
Time frame: During the procedure
Muscle thickness and cross-sectional area
The upper, middle and lower trapezius muscle thickness and cross-sectional area obtained from MRI and the upper, middle and lower trapezius muscle thickness obtained from musculoskeletal sonography.
Time frame: During the procedure
Muscle thickness change at rest and in contraction
The muscle thickness at rest, during arm raise at 90o abduction, during 2-kg abduction, during 4-kg abduction, and the change (%) between the latter three and at rest.
Time frame: During the procedure
Muscle fat quantification
The upper, middle and lower trapezius muscle fat quantification indicate the muscle fat infiltration.
Time frame: During the procedure
Muscle / fat fraction
The upper, middle and lower trapezius muscle / fat fraction indicate the muscle fat infiltration.
Time frame: During the procedure
Echo intensity
The echo intensity of the upper, middle and lower trapezius muscle obtained from the musculoskeletal sonography.
Time frame: During the procedure
Pain intensity
The score obtained from the VAS scale and NRPS scale during the most painful movement represent the pain intensity of the chronic shoulder pain group.
Time frame: During the procedure
Disability level
The FLEX-SF score and DASH score will indicate the disability level of the subjects.
Time frame: During the procedure
Craniovertebral angle
The cranial-vertebral angle will indicate the level of forward head posture.
Time frame: During the procedure
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University