An interventional study of Scapular Stabilization Exercises and Thoracic Spine Mobilization in Breast Feeding, sponsored by University of Lahore. Completed at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-14.
Sponsored by University of Lahore · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 17 studies in Breast Feeding with a site in Pakistan — 3 open to participants now, 4 under way, none of them phase 3. Breast Feeding · Pakistan.
Among the 17 studies in Breast Feeding with a site in Pakistan, this one is the 6th largest by enrollment of the 14 interventional ones that give a count, is the only one that started in 2026, is one of 12 with no phase, and was the 17th registered.
1,082 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Feeding; 218 are open to participants now.
Browse Breast Feeding studies →3 of the 17 studies in Breast Feeding with a site in Pakistan are open now. Recruiting first, the newest first:
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Ages 20–35 · Women only · Healthy volunteers
Riphah International University · Sites in Pakistan
Ages 20–40 · Women only · Healthy volunteers
Aga Khan University · Sites in Pakistan
Ages 8 wk–10 wk
A study can be open while its sites in Pakistan have not opened yet or have stopped. Only those recruiting at a site in Pakistan →
Of the 128 Breast Feeding studies recruiting now, 67 (52%) set no upper age limit and 59 (46%) stop at 75 or younger; 54 take children under 18; 76 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 35 Years · female · healthy volunteers too.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
17 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2008; this study’s year is marked. 1 started in 2026.
This study's enrollment of 70 is below the median of 100 across 845 interventional studies indexed under Breast Feeding.
Median enrollment 53 across the 14 interventional studies, 741 across the 3 observational. Of the 12 that completed or were terminated, 0 (0%) have results posted.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
None of the 17 has an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
University of Lahore is the lead sponsor of 232 studies on the registry; 41 are open to participants now.
University of Lahore has 1 study filed under Breast Feeding — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
None of the studies under way reaches primary completion within a year.
Among the 17 studies in Breast Feeding with a site in Pakistan, from their registry updates:
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Upper-back pain is common among breastfeeding mothers and may be associated with prolonged feeding positions, forward-bent posture, reduced thoracic mobility, and weakness of the muscles controlling the shoulder blades. This study will compare scapular stabilization exercises combined with thoracic spine mobilization with scapular stabilization exercises alone in breastfeeding mothers experiencing upper-back pain.
Seventy eligible breastfeeding mothers aged 18-35 years will be assigned to one of two treatment groups. Both groups will receive scapular stabilization exercises, while one group will additionally receive thoracic mobilization performed by a trained physiotherapist. Treatment will be provided three times per week for eight weeks.
Pain intensity, functional ability, and spinal range of motion will be assessed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8. The study aims to determine whether adding thoracic mobilization to scapular stabilization exercises provides greater improvement in pain, mobility, and daily functioning than scapular stabilization exercises alone.
This assessor-blinded, randomized clinical trial will be conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore. Seventy breastfeeding mothers will be recruited using purposive sampling and randomly allocated by lottery method to two equal groups of 35 participants. Eligible participants will be women aged 18-35 years who are within three months after childbirth, exclusively breastfeeding, and experiencing breastfeeding-related upper-back pain rated between 4 and 7 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale.
Before treatment, participants in both groups will receive a standardized warm-up consisting of a moist hot pack applied to the cervical and upper-thoracic regions, followed by gentle stretching. Group A will receive scapular stabilization exercises combined with thoracic mobilization. The exercise programme will include scapular retraction and depression, serratus anterior punches, wall slides, and prone horizontal abduction with scapular setting. Thoracic mobilization will be performed by a trained physiotherapist to improve thoracic extension and segmental mobility and reduce stiffness. Group B will receive the same scapular stabilization exercise programme without thoracic mobilization. Exercise difficulty will be progressively increased by adding repetitions and resistance.
The interventions will be delivered three times per week for eight weeks. Each exercise session will last approximately 30-35 minutes, with an additional 10-15 minutes of thoracic mobilization for Group A. The outcome assessor will remain unaware of participants' group assignments.
The primary outcome will be pain intensity, assessed using the 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Secondary outcomes will include functional ability measured using the Patient-Specific Functional Scale and spinal range of motion measured in degrees using a digital inclinometer. Assessments will be completed at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8.
Data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data distribution will be assessed before analysis. Changes over time and differences between groups will be examined using repeated-measures analysis of variance, with post-hoc pairwise comparisons where appropriate. Statistical significance will be set at p≤0.05.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will receive scapular stabilization exercises combined with thoracic spine mobilization three times per week for eight weeks. Exercises will include scapular retraction and depression, serratus anterior punches, wall slides, and prone horizontal abduction with scapular setting. Each exercise will be performed in three sets of 10-12 repetitions, with 5-second holds where appropriate. Exercise intensity will be progressively increased every two weeks by increasing repetitions and adding resistance bands. A trained physiotherapist will also provide thoracic mobilization for approximately 10-15 minutes per session to improve thoracic mobility and reduce stiffness.
Other: Scapular Stabilization Exercises · Other: Thoracic Spine Mobilization
Participants will receive scapular stabilization exercises alone three times per week for eight weeks. Exercises will include scapular retraction and depression, serratus anterior punches, wall slides, and prone horizontal abduction with scapular setting. Each exercise will be performed in three sets of 10-12 repetitions, with 5-second holds where appropriate. Exercise intensity will be progressively increased every two weeks by increasing repetitions and adding resistance bands. Thoracic mobilization will not be provided to this group.
Other: Scapular Stabilization Exercises
Participants will perform a structured scapular stabilization programme three times per week for eight weeks. Each session will include scapular retraction and depression, serratus anterior punches, wall slides, and prone horizontal abduction with scapular setting. Exercises will be performed in three sets of 10-12 repetitions, with 5-second holds where appropriate. The programme will be progressively advanced every two weeks by increasing repetitions and introducing resistance bands. Sessions will include a standardized warm-up and stretching of the upper trapezius and levator scapulae.
A trained physiotherapist will administer manual mobilization to clinically identified hypomobile thoracic spinal segments. The intervention will focus on improving thoracic extension and segmental mobility and reducing stiffness and pain around the cervicothoracic region. Mobilization will be performed before the exercise programme for approximately 10-15 minutes per session, three times per week for eight weeks. The mobilization technique and intensity will be selected according to the participant's clinical presentation and tolerance.
Change in Pain Intensity Assessed Using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point self-reported scale ranging from 0 ("no pain") to 10 ("worst imaginable pain"). Participants will rate their average upper-back pain experienced during the previous 24 hours. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. Change in NPRS score from baseline to post-intervention will be analyzed.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention
Change in Thoracic and Cervicothoracic Range of Motion
Thoracic and cervicothoracic range of motion will be measured in degrees using a digital inclinometer. Movements assessed will include flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion, and right and left rotation. Measurements will be taken with the participant seated upright. Three trials will be performed for each movement, and the mean value will be used for analysis. Higher values indicate greater range of motion.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention
Change in Functional Ability Assessed Using the Patient-Specific Functional Scale
Functional ability will be assessed using the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). Participants will identify three to five daily activities affected by upper-back pain, such as breastfeeding, lifting, or prolonged sitting. Each activity will be rated from 0 ("unable to perform") to 10 ("able to perform at the previous level"). The mean score of the identified activities will be calculated. Higher scores indicate better functional ability.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention
Plan to share: No
Ran from Feb 2026 to primary completion in Jul 2026, 4 months.
Of 503 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Breast Feeding, half reached primary completion within 12 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23. This study's 4 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 511 studies reached it within 12 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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