Should you rehab early after shoulder replacement? small study aims to find out
NCT ID NCT06869343
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at whether starting physical therapy 2 weeks after reverse total shoulder replacement (for a broken upper arm bone) is better than waiting 6 weeks. Ten adults aged 50-85 will be randomly assigned to one of the two rehab schedules. The goal is to see which timing leads to better shoulder movement and fewer complications.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Physical therapy
- What this could lead to
- If early rehab is safe and effective, it could lead to faster recovery and better shoulder function for older adults after this type of shoulder replacement.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 10 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. There is also a risk that early rehab could cause complications like implant loosening or re-fracture.
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
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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
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About 10 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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50 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * aged 50-85 undergo reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty by a single surgeon for proximal humerus fractures Exclusion Criteria: * previous rTSA to ipsilateral shoulder * undergoing elective rTSA * Prisoners * unwilling to be randomized * unwilling or unable to attend follow up visits
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Virginia Medical Center
RECRUITINGCharlottesville, Virginia, 22908, United States
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- Could a weaker nerve block mean less pain after shoulder surgery?