Shoulder PainNCT07123532
PREVALENCE OF SCAPULAR DYSKINESIS
An observational study of Shoulder Pain, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
Objective: This study will aim to determine the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among Egyptian physical therapy practitioners and will explore associated epidemiological factors, including age, sex, BMI, shoulder and neck symptoms, and scapular stabilizer muscle strength. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 27 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Shoulder Pain
- How many people
- 121 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2025to 15 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 27 to 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Study population: This cross-sectional observational study will investigate the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among licensed physical therapy practitioners in Egypt and will explore associated epidemiological factors. The study will be conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 after obtaining ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University (P.T.REC/012/005755). A total of 121 participants will be recruited based on a sample size calculation with 80% power at α = 0.05 (one-sample t-test). Eligible participants will be aged 27-40 years, actively working in clinical settings, with at least one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity, and free from current shoulder symptoms. Exclusion criteria will include recent acute shoulder/neck injury, history of upper body orthopedic surgery, neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics, high scapular-loading sports participation, and inability to complete
Who may be able to join
- Licensed physical therapy practitioners actively working in clinical settings (Soliño et al., 2024).
- Age between 27 and 40 years (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- Minimum of one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- No current shoulder pain or symptoms at the time of assessment (Soliño et al., 2024).
- Willingness to participate and provide informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Acute shoulder or neck injury within the last month (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- History of upper body orthopedic surgery (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- Known neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics (Burn et al., 2016).
- Participation in overhead or collision sports with high scapular loading (Burn et al., 2016).
- Inability to complete assessment procedures due to physical limitations (Soliño et al., 2024).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Egypt1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Faculty of Physical Therapy
Cairo
Cairo university, +20 37617691, eth.com@pt.cu.edu.eg
About this study
Official title: PREVALENCE OF SCAPULAR DYSKINESIS AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
Objective:
This study will aim to determine the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among Egyptian physical therapy practitioners and will explore associated epidemiological factors, including age, sex, BMI, shoulder and neck symptoms, and scapular stabilizer muscle strength.
Read more
Design:
A cross-sectional observational study will be conducted, including 121 licensed Egyptian physical therapists aged 27 to 40 years. Participants will be divided into three age-based groups.
Methods:
Each participant will undergo a clinical examination for SD using the Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT) and the Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST). Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and musculoskeletal symptoms will be recorded using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Shoulder range of motion and the strength of scapular stabilizer muscles (serratus anterior, middle, and lower trapezius) will also be evaluated. Statistical analysis will include Chi-square tests and one-way ANOVA at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Read the detailed description
This study will be a cross-sectional observational study designed to investigate the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among physical therapy practitioners and to explore associated epidemiological factors. The study will be conducted between October 2024 and January 2025. Ethical approval will be obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University (P.T.REC/012/005755).
Participants
Sample Size: The sample size will be calculated using SPSS for Windows, version 25, with 80% power at α = 0.05 level using a one-sample t-test. The generated sample size will be 121 physical therapy practitioners.
Selection Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
Licensed physical therapy practitioners actively working in clinical settings (Soliño et al., 2024).
Age between 27 and 40 years (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
Minimum of one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
No current shoulder pain or symptoms at the time of assessment (Soliño et al., 2024).
Willingness to participate and provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Acute shoulder or neck injury within the last month (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
History of upper body orthopedic surgery (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
Known neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics (Burn et al., 2016).
Participation in overhead or collision sports with high scapular loading (Burn et al., 2016).
Inability to complete assessment procedures due to physical limitations (Soliño et al., 2024).
Subgroups: Participants will be divided into three age-based groups:
Group A: 27-31 years
Group B: Above 31-36 years
Group C: Above 36-40 years
Instrumentation
Body Mass Index (BMI): Weight and height will be measured using calibrated scales, and BMI will be calculated as body mass (kg) / height² (m²). A cutoff of ≥30 kg/m² will be considered obese (Romero et al., 2008).
Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT): Will be used to visually assess scapular movement patterns during repeated shoulder flexion and abduction with light weights (Plummer et al., 2017).
Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST): Will assess scapular position by measuring the distance from the scapula's inferior angle to the nearest spinous process in different arm positions. A side-to-side difference >1.5 cm will indicate asymmetry (Curtis et al., 2006).
Digital Goniometer: Will be used to assess shoulder range of motion (ROM) with alignment to anatomical landmarks (Correll et al., 2018; Norkin \& White, 2016).
Visual Analog Scale (VAS): Will be used to measure pain intensity on a 10 cm line from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) (Begum et al., 2019).
Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ): An Arabic-adapted version will be used to assess musculoskeletal symptoms in specific body regions (Aldhabi et al., 2024).
Manual Muscle Testing (MMT): Strength testing of middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior will be conducted using the Oxford scale (Vijian et al., 2023).
Assessment Procedures
Personal Data: Name, age, sex, weight, and height will be recorded. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants.
BMI Calculation: Weight and height will be measured, and BMI will be computed using the standard formula (Abrantes et al., 2002).
Pain Assessment (VAS): Participants will mark their pain level on a 10 cm visual analog scale.
SDT: Participants will perform repeated shoulder flexion and abduction; abnormal scapular motion will be recorded as "yes" and normal as "no" (Jayasinghe, 2018).
LSST: Bilateral measurements will be taken in different arm positions; >1.5 cm difference will be considered abnormal (Jayasinghe, 2018).
Shoulder ROM Measurement: A digital goniometer will be used; the joint will be positioned and stabilized before measurement (Norkin \& White, 2016).
NMQ Administration: A self-administered questionnaire will address demographic, biomechanical, psychological, and environmental factors (Smith et al., 2006).
MMT: Strength of scapular stabilizers will be graded on the Oxford scale; only grade 5 will be included in analysis to avoid confounding.
Glenohumeral Joint Assessment: Passive ROM will be evaluated for pain response and end-feel categorization (Norkin \& White, 2016).
Statistical Analysis Data will be expressed as mean ± SD. The Shapiro-Wilk test will be used for normality testing. ANOVA will be applied to compare characteristics among the three subgroups, and the Chi-square test will be used to compare categorical variables. Statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
- Conditions
- Shoulder Pain
- Keywords
- Muscle Weakness, Scapular Dyskinesis
- Medical subject headings
- Shoulder Pain, Muscle Weakness
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| o Group A: | 27-31 years | |
| o Group B: | Above 31-36 years | |
| o Group C: | Above 36-40 years |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Prevalence of Scapular Dyskinesis
Determined by the proportion of participants diagnosed with abnormal scapular movement patterns using the Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT) and Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST).
Measurement Method:
SDT: Observation of scapular motion during repeated shoulder flexion and abduction with light weights. Abnormal motion recorded as "Yes," normal as "No."
LSST: Measurement of distance from scapular inferior angle to the nearest spinous process in different arm positions; >1.5 cm side-to-side difference indicates dyskinesis.
Measured: At baseline (single assessment session).
Secondary outcomes (2)
Shoulder Range of Motion (ROM)
Measurement of active and passive ROM of the shoulder joint in degrees.
Measurement Method: Digital goniometer aligned with anatomical landmarks (Norkin \& White, 2016).
Measured: At baseline.
Scapular Stabilizer Muscle Strength
Strength of the serratus anterior, middle trapezius, and lower trapezius.
Measurement Method: Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) using Oxford scale; grade 5 only included in statistical analysis.
Measured: At baseline.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Aug 2025
- Study start1 Aug 2025
- Primary completion28 Nov 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Shoulder PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 121 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Reda Abd Elaziz Ibrahim Abdo, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07123532
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/005755
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- PREVALENCE OF SCAPULAR DYSKINESIS AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07123532
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/005755
- Conditions
- Shoulder Pain
- Keywords
- Muscle Weakness, Scapular Dyskinesis
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 121 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Nov 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 14 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Objective:
This study will aim to determine the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among Egyptian physical therapy practitioners and will explore associated epidemiological factors, including age, sex, BMI, shoulder and neck symptoms, and scapular stabilizer muscle strength.
Design:
A cross-sectional observational study will be conducted, including 121 licensed Egyptian physical therapists aged 27 to 40 years. Participants will be divided into three age-based groups.
Methods:
Each participant will undergo a clinical examination for SD using the Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT) and the Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST). Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and musculoskeletal symptoms will be recorded using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Shoulder range of motion and the strength of scapular stabilizer muscles (serratus anterior, middle, and lower trapezius) will also be evaluated. Statistical analysis will include Chi-square tests and one-way ANOVA at a significance level of p < 0.05.
Detailed description
This study will be a cross-sectional observational study designed to investigate the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among physical therapy practitioners and to explore associated epidemiological factors. The study will be conducted between October 2024 and January 2025. Ethical approval will be obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University (P.T.REC/012/005755).
Participants
Sample Size: The sample size will be calculated using SPSS for Windows, version 25, with 80% power at α = 0.05 level using a one-sample t-test. The generated sample size will be 121 physical therapy practitioners.
Selection Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
Licensed physical therapy practitioners actively working in clinical settings (Soliño et al., 2024).
Age between 27 and 40 years (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
Minimum of one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
No current shoulder pain or symptoms at the time of assessment (Soliño et al., 2024).
Willingness to participate and provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Acute shoulder or neck injury within the last month (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
History of upper body orthopedic surgery (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
Known neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics (Burn et al., 2016).
Participation in overhead or collision sports with high scapular loading (Burn et al., 2016).
Inability to complete assessment procedures due to physical limitations (Soliño et al., 2024).
Subgroups: Participants will be divided into three age-based groups:
Group A: 27-31 years
Group B: Above 31-36 years
Group C: Above 36-40 years
Instrumentation
Body Mass Index (BMI): Weight and height will be measured using calibrated scales, and BMI will be calculated as body mass (kg) / height² (m²). A cutoff of ≥30 kg/m² will be considered obese (Romero et al., 2008).
Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT): Will be used to visually assess scapular movement patterns during repeated shoulder flexion and abduction with light weights (Plummer et al., 2017).
Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST): Will assess scapular position by measuring the distance from the scapula's inferior angle to the nearest spinous process in different arm positions. A side-to-side difference >1.5 cm will indicate asymmetry (Curtis et al., 2006).
Digital Goniometer: Will be used to assess shoulder range of motion (ROM) with alignment to anatomical landmarks (Correll et al., 2018; Norkin \& White, 2016).
Visual Analog Scale (VAS): Will be used to measure pain intensity on a 10 cm line from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) (Begum et al., 2019).
Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ): An Arabic-adapted version will be used to assess musculoskeletal symptoms in specific body regions (Aldhabi et al., 2024).
Manual Muscle Testing (MMT): Strength testing of middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior will be conducted using the Oxford scale (Vijian et al., 2023).
Assessment Procedures
Personal Data: Name, age, sex, weight, and height will be recorded. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants.
BMI Calculation: Weight and height will be measured, and BMI will be computed using the standard formula (Abrantes et al., 2002).
Pain Assessment (VAS): Participants will mark their pain level on a 10 cm visual analog scale.
SDT: Participants will perform repeated shoulder flexion and abduction; abnormal scapular motion will be recorded as "yes" and normal as "no" (Jayasinghe, 2018).
LSST: Bilateral measurements will be taken in different arm positions; >1.5 cm difference will be considered abnormal (Jayasinghe, 2018).
Shoulder ROM Measurement: A digital goniometer will be used; the joint will be positioned and stabilized before measurement (Norkin \& White, 2016).
NMQ Administration: A self-administered questionnaire will address demographic, biomechanical, psychological, and environmental factors (Smith et al., 2006).
MMT: Strength of scapular stabilizers will be graded on the Oxford scale; only grade 5 will be included in analysis to avoid confounding.
Glenohumeral Joint Assessment: Passive ROM will be evaluated for pain response and end-feel categorization (Norkin \& White, 2016).
Statistical Analysis Data will be expressed as mean ± SD. The Shapiro-Wilk test will be used for normality testing. ANOVA will be applied to compare characteristics among the three subgroups, and the Chi-square test will be used to compare categorical variables. Statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| o Group A: | – | –27-31 years |
| o Group B: | – | –Above 31-36 years |
| o Group C: | – | –Above 36-40 years |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 27 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- This cross-sectional observational study will investigate the prevalence of scapular dyskinesis (SD) among licensed physical therapy practitioners in Egypt and will explore associated epidemiological factors. The study will be conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 after obtaining ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University (P.T.REC/012/005755). A total of 121 participants will be recruited based on a sample size calculation with 80% power at α = 0.05 (one-sample t-test). Eligible participants will be aged 27-40 years, actively working in clinical settings, with at least one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity, and free from current shoulder symptoms. Exclusion criteria will include recent acute shoulder/neck injury, history of upper body orthopedic surgery, neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics, high scapular-loading sports participation, and inability to complete
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Licensed physical therapy practitioners actively working in clinical settings (Soliño et al., 2024).
- Age between 27 and 40 years (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- Minimum of one year of clinical experience or exposure to physical activity (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- No current shoulder pain or symptoms at the time of assessment (Soliño et al., 2024).
- Willingness to participate and provide informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Acute shoulder or neck injury within the last month (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- History of upper body orthopedic surgery (Jeong \& Kim, 2023).
- Known neurological or musculoskeletal disorders affecting shoulder mechanics (Burn et al., 2016).
- Participation in overhead or collision sports with high scapular loading (Burn et al., 2016).
- Inability to complete assessment procedures due to physical limitations (Soliño et al., 2024).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Prevalence of Scapular Dyskinesis
Time frame: At baseline (single assessment session).
Determined by the proportion of participants diagnosed with abnormal scapular movement patterns using the Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT) and Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST). Measurement Method: SDT: Observation of scapular motion during repeated shoulder flexion and abduction with light weights. Abnormal motion recorded as "Yes," normal as "No." LSST: Measurement of distance from scapular inferior angle to the nearest spinous process in different arm positions; >1.5 cm side-to-side difference indicates dyskinesis.
2 secondary outcomes
Shoulder Range of Motion (ROM)
Time frame: At baseline.
Scapular Stabilizer Muscle Strength
Time frame: At baseline.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Shoulder Pain, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Prevalence of Scapular Dyskinesis (time frame: At baseline (single assessment session).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2025.