RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Eccentric or Concentric Contralateral Training in Rehabilitation After Shoulder Surgery With Elbow Immobilization

This study is checking if exercising your healthy arm (the one not operated on) can help keep your arm muscles strong after shoulder surgery, especially when your operated arm is in a sling for a few weeks. When an arm is still, muscles can get weaker, which can slow down recovery. Researchers want to see if special exercises for the good arm, called 'contralateral training,' can lessen this. They are comparing two types of exercises – 'eccentric' and 'concentric' – with just standard care (no extra exercises). The aim is to find out if one of these exercise types helps people recover faster and get their strength back better after shoulder surgery.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer

Enrolment target

Start

02 Dec 2025

Estimated completion

01 Oct 2027

Shoulder Surgery

What is this study about?

Imagine you've had shoulder surgery and your arm needs to be kept still in a sling for several weeks to help it heal. While this 'immobilisation' is really important, it can also lead to your arm muscles getting weaker and smaller, which can make your recovery a bit longer. This study is exploring a clever idea to try and stop that from happening: exercising your *other* arm (the one that hasn't had surgery).

The researchers think that if you work out your good arm, it might send signals to your brain that somehow help to keep the muscles in your recovering arm stronger. They are particularly interested in a type of exercise called 'eccentric' training, where the muscle lengthens while it's working hard, like slowly lowering a weight. They'll compare this to 'concentric' training, where the muscle shortens while it's working, like lifting a weight, and also to just getting standard care without any extra arm exercises.

The main goal of this study is to see if exercising your good arm in one of these ways can help your recovering arm keep its muscle strength and size. If it does, it could mean a quicker and smoother recovery for people after shoulder surgery, getting them back to their normal activities sooner. This could really improve how people recover and feel after their operation.

Key takeaways

Study examines if exercising your *good* arm helps your *recovering* arm after shoulder surgery.
Compares two types of exercises (eccentric, concentric) to standard care.
Aims to preserve muscle strength and size in the immobilised arm.
Could lead to faster recovery and better results after shoulder surgery.
Involves a few visits for measurements and exercise sessions for a few months.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be an adult (18 years or older) who is having shoulder surgery.

Your doctor must also think you'll need to keep your arm still in a sling or similar for about 4 to 6 weeks after your operation. You shouldn't have any nerve problems that could affect the results, and you must agree to take part after understanding what the study involves.

There are also some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have a medical condition that means you shouldn't do physical activity, or if you've had an injury or surgery on your other arm recently (in the last 6 months). Pregnant or breastfeeding women also can't take part, nor can anyone who might have difficulty understanding the study instructions.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Are you having shoulder surgery that requires your arm to be still for 4-6 weeks?
Do you have any conditions that stop you from doing physical activity?
Have you had an injury or surgery to your other arm in the last 6 months?
Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, the study will involve four main visits over several months. The first visit will happen before your surgery, where the study team will explain everything and get your agreement to participate. Then, within seven days before your surgery, you'll have a second visit. During this visit, they'll take some measurements of both your arms. This includes checking your muscle strength using special equipment, measuring the size of your arm and muscles with a tape measure and ultrasound, and testing your handgrip strength.

After your surgery, you'll enter the 4-6 week period where your arm is kept still. During this time, you'll be randomly put into one of three groups. One group will do standard recovery care. Another group will do standard care plus special 'eccentric' exercises with their good arm, three times a week. The third group will do standard care plus special 'concentric' exercises with their good arm, also three times a week. Each exercise session will involve your good arm doing elbow bending and straightening exercises for about 4-6 sets of 10 repetitions.

You'll have two more follow-up visits. The first will be right at the end of the 4-6 week immobilization period, where they'll repeat many of the initial measurements. The last visit will be about 6 weeks after your arm is no longer immobilised. The whole study, from your pre-surgery checks to the final follow-up, will last for a few months.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer potential benefits, such as potentially helping to maintain strength in your recovering arm, which could lead to a quicker return to your usual activities. However, there's no guarantee that you will personally benefit from the training programs. Potential risks are generally low, as the exercises are performed on your healthy, non-operated arm; however, as with any exercise, there's a small chance of muscle soreness or mild injury. You are always free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your ongoing medical care.

Locations (1)

Hôpital National d'Instruction des Armées Sainte-Anne
Verified postcode
Toulon, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What does 'contralateral training' mean?

It means training or exercising one side of your body (like your healthy arm) to try and benefit the other side (your recovering arm).

What's the difference between eccentric and concentric exercises?

Eccentric is when your muscle lengthens while working (e.g., slowly lowering a weight). Concentric is when your muscle shortens while working (e.g., lifting a weight).

Will I know which group I'm in?

You will be told which exercise group you are assigned to (eccentric, concentric, or standard care) after your surgery.

Is this study suitable for all shoulder surgeries?

It's for specific shoulder surgeries like Bankart repair, rotator cuff repair, or shoulder replacement where your arm needs to be immobile for 4-6 weeks.

How long will the exercise sessions take?

The exercise sessions for your good arm will involve 4-6 sets of 10 repetitions, with short rests, three times a week.

How to find out more

Magali Cesana

magali.cesana@ch-toulon.fr 04 83 77 20 60 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.