NCT07508969

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation vs Conventional Therapy With Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injections for Subacromial Bursitis

Completed Phase 1, PHASE2 Last updated 2 April 2026

What this trial tests

Phase 1, PHASE2 trial testing Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injections plus PNF in Subacromial Bursitis of the Shoulder in 60 participants. Completed in 29 May 2025.

Timeline

1 January 2025

Primary endpoint
1 March 2025

29 May 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Catanzaro
Phase	Phase 1, PHASE2
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	60
Start date	1 January 2025
Primary completion	1 March 2025
Estimated completion	29 May 2025
Sites	1 location across Italy

Drugs / interventions tested

• Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injections plus PNF
• Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injections plus Conventional Physiotherapy

Conditions studied

• Subacromial Bursitis of the Shoulder — all drugs for Subacromial Bursitis of the Shoulder →
• Chronic Shoulder Pain — all drugs for Chronic Shoulder Pain →

Sponsor

University of Catanzaro

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Subacromial Bursitis of the Shoulder or Chronic Shoulder Pain. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined treatment approach for people with chronic shoulder pain caused by subacromial bursitis.

Subacromial bursitis is a common condition that can cause pain, stiffness, and reduced ability to move the shoulder. These symptoms often interfere with daily activities such as dressing, lifting objects, or reaching overhead, and may negatively affect quality of life.

In current clinical practice, corticosteroid injections are frequently used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, especially in patients with persistent symptoms. Physiotherapy is also an essential part of treatment, helping to restore movement, strength, and function. However, it is not yet clear which type of rehabilitation program provides the best results when combined with injections.

In this study, all participants receive three ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections administered once per week. Ultrasound guidance allows the physician to accurately deliver the medication into the affected area, improving safety and precision.

After the injections, participants are randomly assigned to one of two rehabilitation programs. One group performs a program based on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), a technique that uses specific movement patterns to improve muscle coordination, flexibility, and strength. The other group receives conventional physiotherapy, including standard exercises aimed at improving shoulder mobility and function.

Participants are evaluated over time to assess changes in pain, daily function, quality of life, and shoulder movement, with follow-up lasting up to six months.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether one rehabilitation approach is more effective than the other when combined with corticosteroid injections.

The study aims to answer the following question:

Does a rehabilitation program based on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), combined with ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections, lead to better improvements in pain, function, quality of life, and shoulder mobility compared to conventional physiotherapy in patients with subacromial bursitis?

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.