Electrical Stimulation to Recover Greater Range of Motion After Surgery

March 5, 2010 updated by: Université Joseph Fourier

Superimposed Electrical Stimulation Real-time Effects on Repeated Muscle Contractions Enable to Increase Recovery From Thumb Joint Stiffness After Surgery of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament

Background

One of the potentially debilitative complications of operative repair and subsequent immobilization is stiffness that appears secondary to inflammation and adhesions. To prevent such a physical impairment, active joint mobilization has shown to be efficient. However, adhesions sometimes remain despite the therapy. Due to the viscoelastic nature of the biological tissues, if a technique can enable to extend the muscle ability to impose a maximal steady stress on adhesions, adhesion deformation should be greater and range of motion deficit should be reduced. Within that context, the purpose of the present study was to assess the real-time effects of superimposed electrical stimulation (SES) on maximal voluntary muscular contraction (VOL) over time and to assess SES effects on range of motion recovery in thumb stiff joint.

Methods and Findings

The aim of the first experiment was to examine the real-time effects of tetanic SES on the maximal volitional level of force over repeated contractions of the triceps brachii muscle. To address this goal, seventeen subjects participated voluntarily in this study. Two features of the muscular force were assessed: The peak force (1) and the impulse (2). These two dependent variables were measured during 500 sec - including 50 maximal force productions of 4 sec each- in two randomized conditions of VOL and SES. When considering the 50 trials as a whole, exerted force was higher in the SES than in the VOL condition for both peak force and impulse (P<.05). Over time, peak force and impulse decreased consistently in VOL starting between the 20th and 30th trials whereas they were maintained in SES condition (P<.05).

The aim of the second experiment was to compare the effects of VOL and SES on the range of flexion recovery of the stiff metacarpophalangeal joint following operative repair of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb. To address this goal, eight patients participated voluntarily. Range of motion, oedema and pain were assessed before and after the two randomised conditions of VOL and SES.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

25

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

  • France
      • La Tronche, France, 38700
        • Université Joseph Fourier - TIMC IMAG laboratory

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

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Hand physical therapy center

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • loss of range of flexion in the involved metacarpophalangeal joint of at least ten degrees when compared to the opposite thumb
  • more than eight weeks post-surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • do not meet the inclusion criteria

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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
range of motion
Time Frame: 1sec after joint mobilization
Active range of motion was measured using a finger goniometer
1sec after joint mobilization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
muscle force
Time Frame: During the muscle contraction
The peak force and the impulse were measured during 500 sec in two randomized conditions of voluntary muscle contraction and electrically induced muscle contraction
During the muscle contraction

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Université Joseph Fourier

Investigators

  • Study Director: Vincent Nougier, PhD, Université Joseph Fourier - TIMC IMAG laboratory

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

April 1, 2008

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2008

Study Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 1, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 5, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

March 8, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 8, 2010

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 5, 2010

Last Verified

February 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SES 327

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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