Stretching Exercises Versus Thermotherapy on Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms (Exersize)

February 18, 2022 updated by: Zohour Ibrahim Mahmoud Rashwan, Alexandria University

Effect of Stretching Exercises Versus Thermotherapy on Restless Legs Syndrome Symptoms, Pain, and Quality of Sleep Among Pregnant Women

To compare the effects of stretching exercises versus thermotherapy on RLS symptoms and sleep quality among pregnant women.

Research hypotheses:

  • Pregnant women who perform leg stretching exercises exhibit lower RLS symptoms severity and pain level than those who applied thermotherapy.
  • Pregnant women who perform leg stretching exercises exhibit higher sleep quality than those who applied thermotherapy.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

a quasi-experimental study was carried out at the antenatal outpatient clinic of XXXX. A sample of 60 pregnant women was randomly assigned to two groups. One group was instructed to perform stretching exercises daily for one week, and the other group applied thermotherapy. They rated their RLS symptoms, pain level, and sleep quality at baseline and after receiving interventions.

A convenience sampling of 60 pregnant women who fulfilled the following inclusion criteria was recruited: suffering from RLS according to the IRLSSG criteria during the third-trimester of a singleton pregnancy; rated restlessness severity greater than ten on the RLS Rating Scale, and compliant with an iron supplement. While, women who had a high-risk pregnancy, e.g., preeclampsia, diabetes, and placenta previa as well as had leg cramps, periodic limb movement disorder, leg edema, myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, leg injuries, and anxiety were excluded from the study.

Initially, the researchers approached the pregnant women of both groups in the waiting area of the antenatal clinic, established rapport, and collected the socio-demographic data and current pregnancy profile, Moreover, baseline RLS symptoms severity, pain, and women's sleep quality were assessed.

Interventions

For the stretching exercises group; the researchers explained to the women how to perform the stretching exercises through different visual materials like videos & pictures, provided a demonstration of each step, and emphasized that they could perform this exercise at any comfortable position, standing, sitting, or dorsal.

For the thermotherapy group, women were instructed to warm the water to 43-47 C° using a water thermometer or test it with the inner aspect of their wrists. They are also advised to avoid using too hot or too cold water. Then immerse their legs for 20 minutes in the warm water at a height where the water level can reach their knees. The researchers emphasized that the procedure should be done every night for one week.

For both groups, the intensity of RLS and pain severity of pregnant women of the two groups were reassessed after the first session.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
      • Alexandria, Egypt, 56321
        • Faculty of nursing

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Had singleton pregnancy
  • During the third-trimester
  • Rated restlessness severity greater than ten on the RLS Rating Scale
  • Compliant with an iron supplement.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Had a high-risk pregnancy
  • Periodic limb movement disorder
  • Leg edema
  • Myalgia
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Leg injuries
  • Anxiety

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: stretching exercises group
Pregnant women with RLS were instructed to perform stretching exercises daily for one week
Behavioral: stretching exercises
For the stretching exercises group; the researchers explained to the women how to perform the stretching exercises through different visual materials like videos & pictures, provided a demonstration of each step, and emphasized that they could perform this exercise at any comfortable position, standing, sitting, or dorsal.
Active Comparator: Thermotherapy group
Pregnant women with RLS were instructed to apply warm water immersion of their legs daily for one week.
Other: thermotherapy
women were instructed to warm the water to 43-47 C° using a water thermometer or test it with the inner aspect of their wrists. They are also advised to avoid using too hot or too cold water. Then immerse their legs for 20 minutes in the warm water at a h

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
RLS Rating Scale
Time Frame: After 7 days
This tool was adopted from the International RLS Study Group. The scale was designed to grade the severity of RLS symptoms. It is composed of ten items rated on a four-point Likert scale ranging from mild (1) to very severe (4). The total scores ranged from 10-to 40. The severity of women's restless leg symptoms was categorized as follows; very severe symptoms (scores 31- 40), Severe (scores 21- 30), Moderate (scores 11-20), Mild (scores 1-10). Abetz, et al. tested RLS Rating Scale for validity and reliability. The concurrent validity was r = 0.70, and internal consistency, alpha=0.81.16
After 7 days
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
Time Frame: After 7 days
This tool was adopted from the Clinical Manual for Nursing Practice.17 It is a unidimensional measure of pain severity in adult individuals; the 11-point numeric scale varies from "0" (no pain) to "10" (severe pain). It was used to assess four levels of pain: 0 = no pain, 1-3= mild pain, 4-6 = moderate pain, 7-10 = severe pain.
After 7 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Groningen Sleep Quality Scale (GSQS)
Time Frame: After 7 days
This scale is used to assess the subjects' sleeping patterns and overall sleep quality. It consists of 15-items that scored as true or false. One point was given for all the true items except items 8, 10, and 12 had reversed scores. The scoring system of this scale is as follows; the first question is not counted toward the total score therefore, scores ranged from 0 to 14. According to the total scores, the sleep quality was categorized into three categories; normal refreshing sleep "score 0-2", slightly disturbed sleep "scores 3-9", and poor quality of sleep "scores 10-14". In a validation study, the mean score on the scale was 6.0 ± 4.2 and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was 0.88.
After 7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Alexandria University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 5, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 19, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 21, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 18, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 18, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 2, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 18, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 1206022021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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