Eccentric or Concentric Contralateral Training in Rehabilitation After Shoulder Surgery With Elbow Immobilization

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to find out if exercising the non-immobilized arm can help maintain muscle strength and mass in patients recovering from shoulder surgery who have their arm immobilized at the elbow. This is important because immobilization, while necessary to protect the shoulder, often causes muscle loss and weakness that can delay recovery. The study compares two types of exercise—eccentric (muscle lengthening) and concentric (muscle shortening)—against standard care without such training to see which best preserves muscle function during recovery. Participants are divided into three groups: one receiving standard rehabilitation care, one doing eccentric training, and one doing concentric training with their non-immobilized arm. Training happens three times a week during a 4 to 6 week immobilization period, with specific exercises involving elbow flexion and extension performed in sets and repetitions at controlled intensity and timing. The study includes four visits: before surgery, at the end of immobilization, six weeks after immobilization, and 17 weeks after immobilization, with repeated assessments at each visit. Participants will undergo various tests measuring muscle strength, arm circumference, muscle size with ultrasound, handgrip strength, and functional scores related to arm and shoulder use. Researchers will also monitor pain, perceived exertion, joint position sense, and muscle stiffness. The primary outcome is the strength of the immobilized arm before and after immobilization. Follow-up visits continue for several months to track recovery progress and the effects of the different training methods.

Eccentric or Concentric Contralateral Training in Rehabilitation After Shoulder Surgery With Elbow Immobilization