Pilot Study of Blood Flow Restriction Training for People Aged 18 to 50 with Shoulder Pain

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating blood flow restriction training BFRT to see if it is safe and practical for people experiencing subacromial shoulder pain. This pilot clinical trial aims to learn what challenges patients might face when training with BFRT, whether BFRT can be included in physical therapy, and its early effects on shoulder function and strength recovery. The study compares active BFRT to a sham procedure that mimics the training but without therapeutic pressure. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the active BFRT group, where a device applies 50% of limb occlusion pressure during strengthening exercises, or the sham BFRT group, which uses a device set to 20mmHg pressure. Both groups perform four specific strengthening exercises with the BFRT device and receive skilled physical therapy care including warm-up, stretching, mobilizations, and cryotherapy. Physical therapy lasts at least 4 weeks, with ongoing BFRT exercises continuing up to 8 weeks. Participants will visit the clinic for physical therapy sessions and BFRT exercises over 8 weeks. Assessments occur before treatment, midway at 4 weeks, at the end of treatment 8 weeks, and again at 26 weeks. Researchers will monitor recruitment, feasibility, safety, retention, shoulder range of motion, strength, muscle size, tendon health, and patient-reported outcomes. The trials total follow-up spans about 6 months to evaluate progress and effects of the interventions.

BFRT for Subacromial Pain