Osteopathic Manual Treatment for Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain and Upper Extremity Function in Stroke Patients

The Effects of Osteopathic Manual Treatment on Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain and Upper Extremity Function in Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study

This study assesses the feasibility and safety of performing osteopathic manual treatment (OMT) for hemiplegic shoulder pain in stroke patients. This study's participants will be adults with a first-time stroke diagnosis in the past 5 years and shoulder pain on the same side affected by stroke. Eligible participants will be placed on study for approximately 6 weeks and given either OMT or a sham treatment each week.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients must be at least 18 years or older to participate in the study
• Presence of shoulder pain on the side of the body affected by stroke
• Patients must have a diagnosis of a first-time stroke within the past 5 years
• Stroke type must be subcortical, brainstem, and/or right-MCA stroke. Participants with multiple stroke types within the first-time diagnosis may be included

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of an active systemic or localized infection requiring antibiotic therapy
• Presence of fracture in the area being treated
• Presence of open wound in the area being treated
• Presence of rheumatoid arthritis
• Presence of known active malignancy
• Presence of shoulder pain on the affected side within 3 months prior to stroke
• Patients with left-MCA stroke diagnosis who demonstrate the presence of aphasia based on the Mississippi Aphasia Screening Test (MAST)
• Patients who demonstrate hemispatial visual neglect based on screening motor-free visual perception test (MFVPT)
• Patients already receiving any type of manual therapy by a certified therapist through their standard-of-care treatment
• Patients who do not wish to participate
• Patients who are not fit as judged by the study team
• Patients who lack the capacity to consent for enrollment in the study based on the University of California San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent