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Wrist FractureNCT03649542

The Effects of Fluidotherapy® Exercise

A study testing Fluidotherapy plus exercise in people with Wrist Fracture, run by Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

BACKGROUND: Wrist fractures are a common upper extremity injury treated by hand therapists. Currently, there is a dearth of published literature supporting the use Fluidotherapy® to improve pain and range of motion (ROM) in wrist fracture patients. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 85 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Wrist Fracture
What is being tested?
Fluidotherapy plus exercise
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
37 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
27 Jul 2009to 13 Jan 2014
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 85 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participants must be referred to outpatient rehabilitation at St. Thomas Hospital, Akron, Ohio.
  • Patients diagnosed with a wrist fracture will include those patients with distal radius fractures, distal radius/ulna fractures, and distal ulna fractures. Patients who have had closed reductions, open reductions, internal fixation, and/or external fixation will all be included.
  • Patients will be recruited for this study if they have been cleared by the referring physician on the order to safely begin wristrange of motion.

Who cannot join

  • Have open wounds
  • Have Hepatitis
  • Currently have chicken pox or shingles
  • Have other serious fractures in the arm
  • Have blood circulation problems in the arms or legs
  • Do not have a physician referral to outpatient rehab
Show all 9Show fewer
  • Fractured wrist less than 6-weeks old as of evaluation day
  • Fractured wrist over a year ago
  • Under the age of 18 and over the age of 85 years at the time of participation

About this study

Official title: The Effects of Fluidotherapy® Exercise on Wrist Fracture Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Pilot (Feasibility) Study

BACKGROUND: Wrist fractures are a common upper extremity injury treated by hand therapists. Currently, there is a dearth of published literature supporting the use Fluidotherapy® to improve pain and range of motion (ROM) in wrist fracture patients. \OBJECTIVE: This pilot study was conducted to determine the effects of one 15-minute bout of performing active range of motion (AROM) exercises in Fluidotherapy® (EXFT) versus AROM exercises (EX) alone on pain levels and AROM in wrist fracture subjects. METHODS: Eight subjects diagnosed with a wrist fracture (distal radius fracture, distal radius/ulna fractures, or distal ulna fracture) and referred to outpatient rehabilitation/occupational therapy were recruited upon his/her initial therapy evaluation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between EX and EXFT groups in all outcome variables except for self-reported numeric pain scores (p=0.03*) and a trend towards significance in pronation AROM (p=0.06**). Even with a small sample size (n=8) there were significant differences in self-reported pain between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that even after one 15-minute bout of AROM exercises in Fluidotherapy® treatment, patients report improved pain tolerance and may be useful in pain management techniques after a wrist fracture.

Read the detailed description

BACKGROUND: Wrist fractures are a common upper extremity injury treated by hand therapists. Fluidotherapy® is a high intensity heat modality consisting of a dry whirlpool of finely divided solid particles suspended in a heated air stream, the mixture having the properties of a liquid. Currently, there is a dearth of published literature supporting the use Fluidotherapy® to improve pain and range of motion (ROM) in wrist fracture patients. More importantly, there is no evidence for the reduction of perceived wrist pain or improved ROM after only one 15-minute bout of Fluidotherapy®. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study was conducted to determine the effects of one 15-minute bout of performing active range of motion (AROM) exercises in Fluidotherapy® (EXFT) versus AROM exercises (EX) alone on pain levels and AROM in wrist fracture subjects. METHODS: Eight subjects diagnosed with a wrist fracture (distal radius fracture, distal radius/ulna fractures, or distal ulna fracture) and referred to outpatient rehabilitation/occupational therapy were recruited upon his/her initial therapy evaluation. Patients with closed reductions, open reductions, internal fixation, and/or external fixation were included as well. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the EXFT group or the EX group. A numeric pain scale (0-10) was used to assess perceived pain and AROM measurements using a goniometer were taken for pronation, supination, flexion, extension, radial deviation, and ulnar deviation immediately prior to intervention and after intervention. RESULTS: EX Group Pre-Treatment results: Pain 4.0 (± 1.82); Supination AROM 75.5 (± 10.90); Pronation AROM 75 (± 7.02); Flexion AROM 34.5 (± 9.88); Extension AROM 43.5 (± 8.96); Radial Deviation AROM 18.75 (± 9.43); Ulnar Deviation AROM 23.5 (± 4.36); Exercise in Fluidotherapy® Group Pre-Treatment results: Pain 2.5 (± 2.08); Supination AROM 65 (± 18.70); Pronation AROM 81.25 (± 6.29); Flexion AROM 40.25 (± 17.23); Extension AROM 38.5 (± 12.07); Radial Deviation AROM 21.25 (± 10.31); Ulnar Deviation AROM 26.25 (± 12.5); EX Group Post-Treatment results: Pain 4.5 (± 2.52); Supination AROM 81.75 (± 9.18); Pronation AROM 79 (± 3.46); Flexion AROM 36.25 (± 9.84); Extension AROM 50.5 (± 15.42); Radial Deviation AROM 21.5 (± 9.94); Ulnar Deviation AROM 23.75 (± 5.19); Exercise in Fluidotherapy® Group Pre-Treatment results: Pain 0.75 (± 0.98); Supination AROM 72.5 (± 14.43); Pronation AROM 86.25 (± 4.79); Flexion AROM 47.5 (± 15.54); Extension AROM 51.25 (± 8.54); Radial Deviation AROM 25.5 (± 12.80); Ulnar Deviation AROM 29 (± 8.41); There were no significant differences between EX and EXFT groups in all outcome variables except for self-reported numeric pain scores (p=0.03*) and a trend towards significance in pronation AROM (p=0.06**). Even with a small sample size (n=8) there were significant differences in self-reported pain between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The application of heat, massage, sensory stimulation, levitation, and pressure oscillations seem to provide patients pain relief and improvements in range of motion after AROM exercises in Fluidotherapy®. This study confirms that even after one 15-minute bout of AROM exercises in Fluidotherapy® treatment, patients report improved pain tolerance and may be useful in pain management techniques after a wrist fracture.

Conditions
Wrist Fracture
Being tested
Fluidotherapy plus exercise
Medical subject headings
Wrist Fractures

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Fluidotherapy plus exerciseOther

    Also called Exercise Only

    The Fluidotherapy® unit (ULTRA 115: Henley International, Sugar Land, Texas) is a high intensity heat modality consisting of a dry whirlpool of finely divided solid particles suspended in a heated air stream. A certified technician The cleaned the Fluidotherapy® unit per the user manual.

Study groups in NCT03649542
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Fluidotherapy® plus exercises group (FLO)Active comparatorThe Fluidotherapy® Unit and exercises group (FLO). They were required to complete wrist exercises in Fluidotherapy® Unit box for 15 minutes with the following exercises finger abduction/adduction, finger flexion/extension, forearm supination/pronation, wrist flexion/extension, and wrist radial deviation/ulnar deviation. Each patient performed two sets of fifteen repetitions for each exercise, totaling 15-minutes.
Receives: Other: Fluidotherapy plus exercise
Exercises only group (EX)No interventionThey were required to complete wrist exercises in the air for 15 minutes, including abduction/adduction, finger flexion/extension, forearm supination/pronation, wrist flexion/extension, and wrist radial deviation/ulnar deviation. Each patient performed two sets of fifteen repetitions for each exercise, totaling 15-minutes.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. active range of motion (AROM)

    Using a goniometer, Scale and measured the patient's supination, pronation, wrist flexion and extension, wrist radial deviation, and wrist ulnar deviation.

    Measured: 15 minutes after

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Aug 2018
  2. Study start27 Jul 2009
  3. Primary completion13 Jan 2014
  4. Study completion13 Jan 2014

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Pre/Post
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
37 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03649542
Sponsor's protocol ID
SUMMA IRB - FLUIDOTHERAPY
Status last verified
Apr 2024
First submitted
24 Aug 2018
Last updated
5 Apr 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Fluidotherapy plus exercise in people with Wrist Fracture, run by Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Apr 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

active range of motion (AROM) (time frame: 15 minutes after). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Apr 2024; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 30 Oct 2026.

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