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Not yet recruitingNCT07724613Updated Jul 24, 2026

Comparative Effects of Gongs and Maitland Mobilization in Patients With Adhesive Capsulitis

An interventional study of Group A: Gong's Mobilization and Maitland Mobilization in Adhesive Capsulitis, sponsored by Riphah International University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-24.

Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
52
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
40 Years to 65 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Adhesive capsulitis is a common musculoskeletal disorder characterized by shoulder pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and functional disability, leading to limitations in daily activities and reduced quality of life. Manual therapy techniques, including Gong's Mobilization and Maitland Mobilization, are widely used in physiotherapy management; however, evidence comparing their effectiveness remains limited.

Read the detailed description

The study aim to compare the effects of Gong's Mobilization and Maitland Mobilization on pain, shoulder range of motion, and functional disability in patients with adhesive capsulitis. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted on 60 participants diagnosed with stage II and III adhesive capsulitis. Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: Gong's Mobilization and Maitland Mobilization. Both groups also received conventional physiotherapy, including hot pack application, stretching, isometric exercises, and a home exercise program. Outcome measures includes the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and shoulder ROM assessed using a goniometer. Assessments will be performed at baseline, Week 3, and Week 6. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Friedman tests with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.

02

Conditions studied

  • Adhesive Capsulitis

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Keywords

  • Adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder, Gong's mobilization, Maitland mobilization, pain, range of motion, functional disability, physiotherapy.
03

In context

Bursitis

383 studies on the registry are indexed under Bursitis; 111 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 52 is above the median of 44 across 346 interventional studies indexed under Bursitis.

Browse Bursitis studies →

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
40 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults aged between 40-65 years.
  • Both male and female genders
  • Stage II and III frozen shoulder
  • Positive Apley's Scratch test
  • Pain rating 3 to 7 on NPRS for at least 3 months
  • Frozen shoulder with at least 25% restricted ROM

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mental disorders
  • Arthritic shoulder
  • Rotator cuff disease
  • Post-traumatic stiff shoulder
  • Post-CABG shoulder-hand syndrome
  • Post-stroke frozen shoulder
  • Bilateral frozen shoulder
  • Neurological disorders
  • Frozen Shoulder secondary to Brachial Plexus Injury, Parkinsonism, Ankylosis, Infection, or Arthroplasty
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
52 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Gong's Mobilization

    Group A will receive Gong's Mobilization for adhesive capsulitis.

    Other: Group A: Gong's Mobilization

  • Active comparator
    Maitland Mobilization

    Group B will receive Maitland Mobilization for adhesive capsulitis.

    Other: Maitland Mobilization

Interventions

  • OtherGroup A: Gong's Mobilization

    According to the criteria described by Gong et al., the patient was positioned in supine lying while the affected arm was placed upward to maintain the humerus in an upright position, with the elbow flexed to 90 degrees and the shoulder abducted to 90 degrees\[A31.1\]. The therapist then held the patient's hand and applied anterior-to-posterior pressure to the humerus while maintaining the elbow at a 90-degree angle. Subsequently, the therapist gently applied pressure to the articular capsule of the shoulder joint while elevating the patient's torso. The articular capsule was gently mobilized for 10-15 seconds followed by a 5-second release period. The therapist used one hand to perform medial rotation of the shoulder while stabilizing the elbow. This technique was performed for five sessions per week for four weeks, with 10-15 repetitions during each session

  • OtherMaitland Mobilization

    Maitland mobilization using posterior glide technique was administered with the patient in a supine position. The therapist grasped the head of the humerus with one hand to perform the movements and stabilized the clavicular region with the other hand. The therapist remained in a standing position while applying the glides. To further stabilize the scapula and prevent scapular protraction, a towel was placed underneath the scapula, allowing smoother scapular glides\[A.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

    The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) was a widely used tool designed to assess pain intensity in both clinical and research settings. It consisted of an 11-point scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 represented "no pain" and 10 indicated the "worst imaginable pain."

    Time frame: upto 6 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Goniometer

    The goniometer was a widely used instrument in clinical and rehabilitation settings to measure joint angles and assess the range of motion (ROM).

    Time frame: upto 6 weeks

  2. Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)

    The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) was a self-administered questionnaire designed to evaluate pain and functional impairment related to shoulder disorders. It consisted of 13 items divided into pain and disability subscales and was often used in both clinical practice and research.

    Time frame: upto 6 weeks

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Choi JM, Cho EY, Lee BH. Effects of Dynamic Stretching Combined with Manual Therapy on Pain, ROM, Function, and Quality of Life of Adhesive Capsulitis. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Dec 24;12(1):45. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12010045. PubMed 38200951 ↗
  • Xia WZ, Cortes RE, Chin KF, Cobiella C, Lambert S. "Idiopathic" adhesive capsulitis is caused by reactivation of latent neurotrophic virus involving peripheral nerves around the shoulder capsule: A hypothesis. Medical Hypotheses. 2025;197:111604.
  • Nakandala P, Nanayakkara I, Wadugodapitiya S, Gawarammana I. The efficacy of physiotherapy interventions in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis: A systematic review. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2021;34(2):195-205. doi: 10.3233/BMR-200186. PubMed 33185587 ↗
  • Sarasua SM, Floyd S, Bridges WC, Pill SG. The epidemiology and etiology of adhesive capsulitis in the U.S. Medicare population. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021 Sep 27;22(1):828. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04704-9. PubMed 34579697 ↗
  • Fernandes MR. Adhesive capsulitis: current concepts. Musculoskelet Surg. 2026 Mar;110(1):1-10. doi: 10.1007/s12306-025-00897-7. Epub 2025 Mar 17. PubMed 40095380 ↗
  • Kulm S, Langhans MT, Shen TS, Kolin DA, Elemento O, Rodeo SA. Genome-Wide Association Study of Adhesive Capsulitis Suggests Significant Genetic Risk Factors. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2022 Nov 2;104(21):1869-1876. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.21.01407. Epub 2022 Nov 2. PubMed 36223477 ↗
  • Jacob L, Gyasi RM, Koyanagi A, Haro JM, Smith L, Kostev K. Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder in Older Adults from Germany. J Clin Med. 2023 Jan 14;12(2):669. doi: 10.3390/jcm12020669. PubMed 36675599 ↗
  • Do JG, Hwang JT, Yoon KJ, Lee YT. Correlation of Ultrasound Findings With Clinical Stages and Impairment in Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder. Orthop J Sports Med. 2021 May 10;9(5):23259671211003675. doi: 10.1177/23259671211003675. eCollection 2021 May. PubMed 33997079 ↗
  • Leafblad N, Mizels J, Tashjian R, Chalmers P. Adhesive Capsulitis. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2023 May;34(2):453-468. doi: 10.1016/j.pmr.2022.12.009. Epub 2023 Feb 28. PubMed 37003663 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for Jul 2026; primary completion for Nov 2026, 4 months later.

Of 217 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Bursitis, half reached primary completion within 10 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 17. This study's planned 4 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 217 studies reached it within 10 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 17.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jul 21, 2026
First posted
Jul 24, 2026
StartEst.
Jul 2026
Primary completionEst.
Nov 30, 2026
CompletionEst.
Dec 30, 2026
Last update
Jul 24, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 24, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07724613
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 24, 2026
Start date
Jul 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 30, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 24, 2026

Study contacts

Sumrod Akram
Contact
samrood.akram@riphah.edu.pk
03324806143
Umama Irfan, MSPT*
principal investigator · Riphah International University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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