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Distal Radius FractureNCT06769373

The Effects of Whirlpool and Contrast Bath in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture

A study testing Whirlpool Bath and Contrast Bath in people with Distal Radius Fracture and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I, run by Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of whirlpool bath and contrast bath treatments on pain, disability, functionality and grip strength in patients with complex regional pain syndrome after distal radius fracture. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 70 years
What is being tested?
Whirlpool Bath and Contrast Bath
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
31 Jan 2025to 15 Jun 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 70 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Patients with complex regional pain syndrome type-1 (CRPS-type 1) after distal radius fracture, who were followed conservatively (long/short arm splint-cast) between the ages of 18-70, who applied to AFSU Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic. It is planned to use the Budapest diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of CRPS Type 1.

Who cannot join

  • Orthopedic injuries (other accompanying orthopedic fractures, such as ulna fracture, carpal bone fractures),
  • Other system injuries,
  • Patients whose distal radius fractures were surgically treated,
  • Patients who had previously undergone surgery on the same upper extremity,
  • Nerve, tendon and artery injuries accompanying the fracture,
  • Other neurological, orthopedic or rheumatological problems affecting the same upper extremity,
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Serious cardiovascular disease,
  • Presence of active infection, active dermatitis, skin diseases such as pemphigus, febrile diseases,
  • Presence of a fixed catheter in the area,
  • Impaired temperature sensationin in the area.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Ersin Beştaş, MD contact

+905068893266

ersinbestas26@gmail.com

Duygu Keskin, research assistant contact

+905077902716

keskiin01@hotmail.com

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University

    Afyonkarahisar, Afyonkarahisar, 03030

    Ersin Beştaş, MD, +905068893266, ersinbestas26@gmail.com

    Duygu Keskin, MD, +905077902716, keskiin01@hotmail.com

    Recruiting

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: The Effects of Whirlpool Bath and Contrast Bath Treatments on Pain, Disability, Functionality and Grip Strength in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture

The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of whirlpool bath and contrast bath treatments on pain, disability, functionality and grip strength in patients with complex regional pain syndrome after distal radius fracture.

Read the detailed description

Distal radius fractures are the most common fracture type among all body bone fractures. Fractures generally occur in elderly patients caused by low-energy trauma due to decreased bone quality. In young patients, they mostly occur due to traumas such as traffic accidents, falls from heights and sports injuries.

One of the important complications seen after distal radius fractures is complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Complex regional pain syndrome represents a complication following distal radius fractures that is still not fully understood etiologically.

Studies have shown that complex regional pain syndrome is commonly diagnosed among patients recovering from a fracture of the distal radius with a reported incidence as high as 37%. It is characterized by excessive pain (allodynia and/or hyperalgesia), edema, local blood flow changes and abnormality of the sudomotor nerve.

There are hardly any studies with a sufficient evidence level to make recommendations for treatments for CRPS-1; therefore, treatment is based on symptom management. Prevention of CRPS-1, after a distal radius fracture is important as this syndrome might lead to chronic pain and serious disabilities. In several studies, it was shown that CRPS-1 can be cured with exercise and graded activities. The main goals of physiotherapy are to reduce pain, regain range of motion, and increase muscle strength and function.

Whirlpool bath and contrast bath treatments are physical therapy methods that has been used safely in complex regional pain syndrome treatment for many years.

Whirlpool baths are local baths where the extremities are immersed in rapidly circulating water. The swirling water produced by the whirlpool bath creates a massaging effect on the body, which can help relieve muscle tension and alleviate pain. The combination of warm water and hydrostatic pressure can also enhance blood circulation and improve joint mobility.

Contrast baths constitute a thermal modality whereby the hand is alternately immersed in hot and cold water for a specified temperature, time, and duration to therapeutically decrease edema, stiffness, pain and increase functionality in cases of complex regional pain syndrome after fractures.

Our primary aim is to investigate the effects of whirlpool bath and contrast bath treatments on pain, disability, functionality and grip strength in patients who were followed conservatively with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS-1) after distal radius fracture.

Being tested
Whirlpool Bath, Contrast Bath
Keywords
Whirlpool, Contrast bath, hydrotherapy
Medical subject headings
Wrist Fractures, Complex Regional Pain Syndromes

What participants receive

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

  • Whirlpool BathDevice

    This group of participants will receive an exercise program consisting of 40 minutes hand-wrist range of motion exercises (passive, active assistive), stretching, strengthening exercises, whirlpool bath (32-38 °C) 20 minutes in total, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) 20 minutes in total for 4 weeks. 5 sessions per week for 20 sessions in the Physical Therapy department.

  • Contrast BathDevice

    This group of participants will recieve an exercise program consisting of 40 minutes hand-wrist range of motion exercises (passive, active assistive), stretching, strengthening exercises, contrast bath therapy which consist of 4 minutes hot water (38°C) followed by 1 minute cold water (10°C) periods for 20 minutes in total, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) 20 minutes in total for 4 weeks. 5 sessions per week for 20 sessions in the Physical Therapy department.

Study groups in NCT06769373
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Whirlpool Bath ProtocolExperimentalAn exercise program consisting of hand-wrist range of motion exercises, stretching, strengthening exercises, whirlpool bath therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is planned for 4 weeks.
Receives: Device: Whirlpool Bath
Contrast Bath ProtocolExperimentalAn exercise program consisting of hand-wrist range of motion exercises, stretching, strengthening exercises, contrasth bath therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is planned for 4 weeks.
Receives: Device: Contrast Bath

What is being measured

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

  1. Range of Motion Measurement

    Supination and pronation of the forearm, flexion, extension, ulnar and radial deviation active/passive range of motion of the wrist will be evaluated with a universal goniometer. Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

  2. Hand grip strength measurement with Jamar Dynamometer

    Jamar Dynamometer measures isometric grip force and strength. Measurements will be made by sitting with the shoulder adducted and neutrally rotated, adjacent to the body, elbow flexed at 90 degrees, wrist dorsiflexed at 0-30 degrees and ulnar deviation at 0-15 degrees with the thumb pointing up. Measurements will be repeated three times, 5 seconds apart, on the hand on the affected side, and the average of the three measurements will be recorded in kilograms. Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test

    This test consists of tasks involving types of grasping commonly used in daily life and evaluates the speed of individuals in these tasks.The JTHFT has seven subsets which are writing, simulated page-turning, lifting small objects, simulated feeding, stacking, and lifting large, lightweight, and heavy objects. The test's scoring is recorded as the time it takes for the person to complete the tasks. Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

  2. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (Q-DASH)

    Q-DASH includes 11 items extracted from the DASH questionnaire that measure physical functions and symptoms in patients with upper extremity problems. Each answer is scored from 1 to 5 on a Likert scale from good to bad; 1: no difficulty, 2: mild difficulty, 3: moderate difficulty, 4: extreme difficulty, 5: no ability to do. Each section of the Quick-DASH questionnaire is scored between 0-100 (0= no disability, 100= maximum disability). Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

  3. Patient-rated Wrist Evaluation Form

    Patient-rated Wrist Evaluation Form consists of 15 questions that measure the severity of wrist pain and the level of disability in daily life activities. It has two subsections. The pain subsection consists of four questions on pain intensity and frequency, while the function subsection consists of six questions on specific activities and four questions on daily activities. Questions are rated on a 10-point scale (where 0 is no pain and 10 is worst pain). Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

  4. Short Form 36 (SF-36)

    SF-36 is a frequently used questionnaire that evaluates the functional health and well-being of patients with 36 different items. These are; physical function, physical role limitation, emotional role limitation, energy/fatigue, mental health, social function, body pain and general health perception. In the evaluation made with this scale, the last 4 weeks are taken into account and the scoring is Likert type except for some items. A total score is calculated separately for each sub-item. The scores are between "0" and "100". While the value of "100" indicates good health status, the value of "0" indicates poor health status. Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: up to 12th week

  5. Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    This method, which is aimed at determining the intensity of pain, aims to have the patient describe their pain with numbers. It is a 10 cm long line that starts with no pain (0) and ends with unbearable pain (10). Patients will be examined three times in total: before treatment, after treatment (4th week) and at 12th week.

    Measured: Up to 12th week

Timeline

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

  1. First posted10 Jan 2025
  2. Study start31 Jan 2025 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion15 Mar 2025 (estimated)
  4. Study completion15 Jun 2025 (estimated)

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
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Effects of Whirlpool Bath and Contrast Bath Treatments on Pain, Disability, Functionality and Grip Strength in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Distal Radius Fracture. Double-Blinded Prospective Randomized Trial.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
40 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06769373
Sponsor's protocol ID
DK2025
Status last verified
Jan 2025
First submitted
6 Jan 2025
Last updated
30 Jan 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Boersma EZ, Meent HV, Klomp FP, Frolke JM, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, Edwards MJR. Treatment of Distal Radius Fracture: Does Early Activity Postinjury Lead to a Lower Incidence of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome? Hand (N Y). 2022 Jan;17(1):119-127. doi: 10.1177/1558944719895782. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

    PubMed 31916452
  • Jellad A, Salah S, Ben Salah Frih Z. Complex regional pain syndrome type I: incidence and risk factors in patients with fracture of the distal radius. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Mar;95(3):487-92. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.09.012. Epub 2013 Sep 29.

    PubMed 24080349
  • Szekeres M, MacDermid JC, Birmingham T, Grewal R, Lalone E. The Effect of Therapeutic Whirlpool and Hot Packs on Hand Volume During Rehabilitation After Distal Radius Fracture: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. Hand (N Y). 2017 May;12(3):265-271. doi: 10.1177/1558944716661992. Epub 2016 Aug 2.

    PubMed 28453348

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Whirlpool Bath and Contrast Bath in people with Distal Radius Fracture and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I, run by Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

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 1 inclusion and 10 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jan 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Ersin Beştaş, MD (+905068893266, ersinbestas26@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Range of Motion Measurement (time frame: up to 12th week). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06769373, which also lists 3 linked publications.

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 30 Jan 2025.

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