Mobilization With Movement in Distal Radial Fractures

November 13, 2023 updated by: İSMAİL CEYLAN, Ahi Evran University Education and Research Hospital

Investigation of the Effectiveness of Movement With Mobilization Technique for Distal Radial Fractures

Distal radius fractures (DRF) are the most common upper extremity disorders encountered in clinical practice. With an understanding of the mechanics of distal radius fractures, surgical intervention, and bone healing, the therapist can modify the therapy program according to the patient's individual needs. The therapeutic process is begun in the crucial stage of bone healing during fracture immobilization. By addressing edema reduction and early range of motion of the uninvolved joints, most problems can be avoided before cast or fixator removal. Rehabilitation following the immobilization period should focus on regaining wrist movements provided that earlier problems have been addressed properly. During the rehabilitative process, the therapist can incorporate scar management, modalities, joint mobilization, active and passive range of motion, splinting, and strengthening to maximize the patient's functional result.

Massage and mobilization techniques are used in the treatment of DRF due to their analgesic effects. The painless mobilization with movement technique (MWM, developed by Brian Mulligan) is a manual therapy method applies to correct the limitation of movement in the joint and to relieve pain and functional disorders. Many studies have shown that MWM technique provides faster and momentary painless joint movement compared to other physical therapy modalities. The patient group with DRF has a large place in the general population and long treatment processes cause both labour loss and economic loss. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of MWM technique in cases with distal radius fractures.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

In this study, 42 DRF patients with age range 18-65 who applied to Kırşehir Ahi Evran University Training and Research Hospital were examined. The individuals included in the study were divided into two groups according to the paired randomization method. These groups were control and intervention groups. Traditional physiotherapy methods were applied to the control group, traditional physiotherapy and MWM techniques were applied to the intervention group. Traditional physiotherapy methods were included; Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), stretching and strengthening exercises.

For the evaluation of patients; Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), wrist goniometric measurements, grip strength measurement, pinch strength measurement, edema measurement and Munich Wrist Questionnaire (MWQ) were used.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

53

Phase

  • 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 Contact

Study Locations

    • Merkez
      • Kırşehir, Merkez, Turkey, 40100
        • İsmail Ceylan

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with distal radius fracture

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with polytrauma,
  • open fracture,
  • ulnar head fracture (excluding ulnar styloid fracture),
  • history of complex regional pain syndrome,
  • limited cognitive capacity were excluded

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Mobilization with movement
Mobilization with movement technique and traditional physiotherapy will be applied to the intervention group. Also patients will receive a traditional therapy program consisting of Conventional TENS and stretching and strengthening exercises.

TENS: The patients were sat in a chair positioned next to a treatment table. The hand to be treated was placed on the treatment table with the forearm in the supine position. Electrodes were then placed on the transverse carpal ligament and palmar surface of the hand. Conventional TENS was applied, with the current transition time set to 50-100 µs, and performed at a frequency of 100 Hz for a period of 20 minutes at an amplitude that did not cause muscle contraction or any feeling of numbness or tingling.

The supervised exercises were performed by the patients in a seated position. Strengthening exercises were performed with both hands by means of Digi-Flex hand exerciser (IMC Products Corp, Hicksville, New York), modeling mass and elastics. The patients were tasked with performing these exercises 10 times in each session and three times daily.

Each participant was tested with sustained manual glides in each of the possible directions during active wrist flexion and extension from the seated position. For the lateral glide, the therapist stabilises the lateral aspect of the distal radius using the first web-space. And glides the proximal row of carpal bones laterally (towards the thumb) using the first web-space of the other hand, following the joint line. For the medial glide, the therapist stabilises the medial aspect of the distal ulna using the first web-space. And glides the proximal row of carpal bones medially (away from the thumb) using the first web-space of the other hand, following the joint line.
Active Comparator: Control group
Patients will receive a traditional therapy program consisting of Conventional TENS and stretching and strengthening exercises.

TENS: The patients were sat in a chair positioned next to a treatment table. The hand to be treated was placed on the treatment table with the forearm in the supine position. Electrodes were then placed on the transverse carpal ligament and palmar surface of the hand. Conventional TENS was applied, with the current transition time set to 50-100 µs, and performed at a frequency of 100 Hz for a period of 20 minutes at an amplitude that did not cause muscle contraction or any feeling of numbness or tingling.

The supervised exercises were performed by the patients in a seated position. Strengthening exercises were performed with both hands by means of Digi-Flex hand exerciser (IMC Products Corp, Hicksville, New York), modeling mass and elastics. The patients were tasked with performing these exercises 10 times in each session and three times daily.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: 0-5 week
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). As a simple and commonly applied method, VAS is considered to be both valid and reliable in measuring patient pain intensity. The patients in the current study were each asked with indicating the intensity of their pain experienced within the past 24 hours by marking on a 10-cm line scale, where 0 = "No pain" and 10 = "Maximum pain
0-5 week

Collaborators and Investigators

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

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.

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)

August 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 10, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

November 13, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

August 4, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 15, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 13, 2023

Last Verified

November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

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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