An interventional study of Clinic-Based Shoulder Rehabilitation (Therapist-supervised Exercises + MWM) and mHealth Application-Based Shoulder Rehabilitation (App-guided Exercises + self-administered MWM) in Adhesive Capsulitis, sponsored by Riphah International University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This quasi-experimental study aims to compare clinic-based versus mHealth application-based shoulder rehabilitation in patients with adhesive capsulitis, focusing on shoulder range of motion, functional disability, pain intensity, and exercise adherence.
Adhesive capsulitis (AC), or frozen shoulder, is an insidious inflammatory disorder characterized by a painful, progressive decrease in passive or active glenohumeral joint range of motion caused by gradual fibrosis and subsequent contracture of the glenoid capsule. The condition progresses through freezing, frozen and thawing phases. In the frozen stage, pain gradually decreases and is usually experienced at the ends of the range of motion, with characteristic progressive loss of glenohumeral external rotation, abduction, internal rotation and flexion. Physiotherapy management may include moist heat, strengthening, stretching, mobilization techniques, MWM, pendulum exercises, wall ladder exercises and capsular stretching.
Clinic-based rehabilitation provides supervised mobilization and exercise, whereas mHealth-based rehabilitation can provide structured and accessible exercise programs remotely. The synopsis identifies a research gap in directly comparing these delivery models, particularly with regard to range of motion, functional disability, pain and exercise adherence. In this study, the clinic-based group will receive therapist-supervised joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises, while the mHealth application-based group will perform an identical structured exercise program through PhysiApp, with exercises prescribed using Physitrack. The app-based group will also perform self-administered MWM using theraband with video instructions.
383 studies on the registry are indexed under Bursitis; 111 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 86 is above the median of 44 across 346 interventional studies indexed under Bursitis.
Browse Bursitis studies →Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Pregnancy.
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Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
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Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hot pack: 15 minutes prior to session. Pendulum/Codman and wall ladder exercises (10 reps × 3 sets). Capsular stretching: anterior, posterior and inferior shoulder stretch (hold for 20 seconds × 5 repetitions). MWM: Flexion-posterior glide with Mulligan belt; external rotation-posterolateral glide; abduction-inferior glide; internal rotation-inferior glide, with active movement within pain-free range. Dosage: 2 sets × 10 reps each with 1 min rest between each set. Home exercises: twice daily
Other: Clinic-Based Shoulder Rehabilitation (Therapist-supervised Exercises + MWM)
Hot pack: 15 minutes prior to session. Pendulum/Codman and wall ladder exercises (10 reps × 3 sets). Capsular stretching: anterior, posterior and inferior shoulder stretch (hold for 20 seconds × 5 repetitions). MWM via app guidance: Flexion-posterior glide with theraband; external rotation-posterolateral glide; abduction-inferior glide; internal rotation-inferior glide, with active movement within pain-free range. Dosage: 2 sets × 10 reps each with 1 min rest between each set. Exercises performed using app-based video instructions. Home exercises: twice daily
Other: mHealth Application-Based Shoulder Rehabilitation (App-guided Exercises + self-administered MWM)
1- Hot pack: 15 minutes prior to session. 2- Pendulum/Codman and wall ladder exercises (10 reps × 3 sets). 3- Capsular stretching: anterior, posterior and inferior shoulder stretch (hold for 20 seconds × 5 repetitions). 4- MWM: Flexion-posterior glide with Mulligan belt; external rotation-posterolateral glide; abduction-inferior glide; internal rotation-inferior glide, with active movement within pain-free range. 5- Dosage: 2 sets × 10 reps each with 1 min rest between each set. 6- Home exercises: twice daily
Hot pack: 15 minutes prior to session. 2- Pendulum/Codman and wall ladder exercises (10 reps × 3 sets). 3- Capsular stretching: anterior, posterior and inferior shoulder stretch (hold for 20 seconds × 5 repetitions). 4- MWM via app guidance: Flexion-posterior glide with theraband; external rotation-posterolateral glide; abduction-inferior glide; internal rotation-inferior glide, with active movement within pain-free range. 5- Dosage: 2 sets × 10 reps each with 1 min rest between each set. 6- Exercises performed using app-based video instructions. 7- Home exercises: twice daily
Goniometer
A standard instrument used in clinical settings to quantify joint range of motion in degrees by aligning its arms with designated bony landmarks. Standard goniometer reliability: ICC = 0.749-0.949.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)
A patient-reported outcome measure comprising 13 items across pain and disability subscales. Scores range from 0 (best) to 100 (worst). It has high test-retest reliability with ICC = 0.989 for pain and ICC = 0.990 for disability.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Exercise Adherence Rating Scale (EARS)
A self-report questionnaire containing six items rated on a five-point Likert scale, with a minimum value of 0 and maximum value of 24. Higher values indicate greater consistency. Test-retest reliability is: ICC = 0.97.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
A scale assessing pain severity from 0 to 10, where 0 represents no pain and 10 represents the worst pain that can be felt by the patient. Reliability: ICC = 0.67.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Plan to share: No
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