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Timing of shoulder exercises may boost recovery after neck cancer surgery

NCT ID NCT06852261

Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
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Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at whether starting scapular-focused exercises early after neck dissection helps head and neck cancer patients regain shoulder function better than waiting. Participants are adults aged 20–65 with shoulder issues after surgery. They will do weekly 60-minute exercises for 12 weeks, either soon after surgery or later. The goal is to see which timing improves shoulder movement and muscle function more.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
scapular-focused exercise
What this could lead to
If early referral proves better, it could establish a standard for starting shoulder rehab sooner after neck dissection, improving recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with only 30 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The exercise may not significantly improve outcomes over later referral.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Feb 2025

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria 1. Age between 20 and 65 years. 2. Newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer and experiencing clinical symptoms of accessory nerve dysfunction after unilateral neck dissection, such as shoulder drooping, restricted active range of motion in shoulder abduction, or insufficient muscle strength against gravity in shoulder abduction. 3. Scapular dyskinesia, such as asymmetrical scapular movement in multiple planes. 4. Scapular asymmetry, defined as a bilateral difference of more than 1.5 cm between the inferior angle of the scapula and the spinous process of the seventh thoracic vertebra when performing 90° shoulder abduction in the scapular plane under a 1 kg load. Exclusion Criteria： 1. Presence of distant metastasis or cancer recurrence. 2. Inability to communicate or comprehend the questionnaire. 3. History of shoulder pain within one year before neck dissection. 4. Any condition that may affect motor performance. 5. History of neuromuscular disorders or tendon pathology in the affected shoulder, other than accessory nerve dysfunction.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms Motor Activity

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Rehabilitation

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • National Taiwan Univerisity Hospital

    Taipei, Taiwan

  • National Taiwan University Hospital

    Taipei, Taiwan

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