New combo therapy may ease shoulder pain in breast cancer survivors
NCT ID NCT02735668
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a combination of physiotherapy techniques—including dry needling, nerve gliding exercises, and scapula strengthening—works better than exercise alone for women with ongoing shoulder pain after breast cancer treatment. Ninety women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: multimodal physiotherapy, scapula exercises, or conventional shoulder exercises. The goal was to see which approach best reduced pain and disability and improved quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
multimodal physiotherapy (dry needling, neurodynamic techniques, and scapula exercises)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could offer a more effective, non-drug approach to ease persistent shoulder pain and improve quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed trial with 90 participants, so results may not apply to all women. The intervention is complex and requires skilled therapists, limiting widespread use.
Disclaimer
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Teacher care and research in physiotherapy Unit. Department of Physiotherapy. University of Alcala.
Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, 28871, Spain