Effects of Diaphragm Muscle Therapy on Pain and Shoulder Movement in Subjects With Rotator Cuff Injuries
Phase: NA
Conditions: Rotator Cuff Injury, Diaphragm; Relaxation
Sponsor: Universidad Complutense de Madrid

1 
 
 
Effects of Diaphragm Muscle Therapy on 
Pain and Shoulder Movement in Subjects 
With Rotator Cuff Injuries 
 
 
 
 
 
Unique Protocol ID: UComplutenseMadrid Fasisifer1  
Official Title:  
Effects of Diaphragm Muscle Therapy on Pain and 
Shoulder Movement in Subjects With Rotator Cuff 
Injuries   
   
                   
 
 
Investigator:      
 
Sponsor: 
         
Isidro Fernández López 
 
Universidad Complutense de Madrid 
 Identifiers:                 NCT ID not yet assigned 
Secondary IDs:        2017-003316-39   [EudraCT Number] 
 
  Date:                        September 24th, 2017 
 
 
 
 
STUDY PROTOCOL 
 
 
 
 

2 
 
Unique Protocol ID: UComplutenseMadrid Fasisifer1  
Official Title:  
Effects of Diaphragm Muscle Therapy on Pain and 
Shoulder Movement in Subjects With Rotator Cuff 
Injuries   
 
  Investigator:             Isidro Fernández López 
  Date:                          September 24th, 2017 
 
STUDY PROTOCOL 
Objective 
 
To assess the influence of physical therapy on diaphragm muscle, via manual 
release or active mobilization, in subjects with rotator cuff injury comparing with 
a standard treatment of shoulder myofascial trigger points release 
 
Methods 
 
Randomisation 
 
Patients who meet the eligibility criteria are randomised to receive any of three 
different treatments through the informatic application provided by the web 
www.randomization.com. 
 
Interventions 
 
This study is a randomised controlled trial, the protocol intervention includes: 
 
1.- Preintervention assessment of shoulder mobility: flexion, abduction and 
external rotation at 90º abduction in supine, registered with a Baseline digital 
inclinometer.  
2.- Preintervention Numerical Rating Pain Scale in shoulder mobility: flexion, 
abduction and external rotation at 90º abduction standing. 

3 
 
3.- Preintervention Pain pressure threshold assessment with an algometer in 
supraespinatus tendon and xiphoid process. 
4.- Intervention treatment in each arm: 
 
a.- Experimental group 1: 3 diaphragm stretching techniques according to 
Chaitow, Ward and Ricard, performed by a physical therapist are employed in 
this experimental group during 10 minutes. The participants are situated in a 
seated, supine and side bending position. 
 
b.- Experimental group 2: diaphragm mobilization through active 
hipopressive gymnastic exercise according to Caufriez in two different postures.   
 
c.- Active comparator group: A ischemic compression technique in most 
painful myofascial trigger points in the infraespinatus and supraespinatus muscle 
during one minute each one. 
5.- Postintervention assessment of shoulder mobility: flexion, abduction and 
external rotation at 90º abduction in supine, registered with a Baseline digital 
inclinometer.  
6.- Postintervention Numerical Rating Pain Scale in shoulder mobility: flexion, 
abduction and external rotation at 90º abduction standing. 
7.- Postintervention Pain pressure threshold assessment with an algometer in 
supraespinatus tendon and xiphoid process. 
8.- Statistical analysis and results interpretation. 
 
Every assessment and treatment is performed by a physical therapist who has 
more tan 10 years of experience in that kind of interventions.