PNF Stretching for TKA on ROM

Total Knee Arthroplasty Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effects of PNF Stretching on Knee Motion Following TKA

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00797875
• Other study ID #: 200803064R
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: November 24, 2008
• Last updated: November 24, 2008
• Start date: December 2008
• Est. completion date: December 2008

Study information

• Verified date: November 2008
• Source: National Taiwan University Hospital
• Contact: Shiun-Jeng Lin
• Phone: 0939803219
• Email: seanjeng2000[@]yahoo.com.tw
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Taiwan: Department of Health
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

To investigate immediate and short term effects on angle of knee flexion, intensity of pain, strength of the knee extensor, and function of the lower extremity by using PNF stretching technique in patients with total knee arthroplasty.

hypothesis:TKA patients may increase ROM after PNF stretching

Description:

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation（PNF） is defined as a treatment method that promotes or hastens the response of the neuromuscular mechanism through stimulation of proprioceptors within the related muscles or joints. PNF stretching technique is a therapeutic technique using the PNF concept to the related muslces either to increase neuro-inhibition mechanism for releasing muscle spasm and elongating muscle length, or to increase neuro-excitation mechanism for enhancing muscle strength. Improvement in range of motion using PNF stretching technique has been reported superior to other techniques in previous literature, but those studies have only been done in healthy adults. Less is known in the effect of PNF stretching on improvement in joint restriction. Range of motion limitation usually disturbed the patients with total knee arthroplasty. PNF stretching techniques has been used frequently for patients with total knee arthroplasty in clinical practice to increase range of motion effectively and reduced knee pain during exercise. However there is no evidence-based research in such a technique for patients with total knee arthroplasty. This research project, therefore, will explore application of PNF stretch in changes of knee flexion, pain, muscle strength, and function of the lower extremity following total knee arthroplasty.

Purposes： To investigate immediate and short term effects on angle of knee flexion, intensity of pain, strength of the knee extensor, and function of the lower extremity by using PNF stretching technique in patients with total knee arthroplasty.

Method： Sixty patients who received total knee arthroplasty in National Taiwan University Hospital will be recruited in this study. They will be allocated randomly into either experimental or control groups. Conventional physical therapy will be given to all participants. Besides, the experimental group will assume PNF stretching technique from the third post-operative day to the day of discharge. This technique will be executed by the same physical therapist, including 5 trials of isometric knee extension for 6 s, followed by active knee flexion to the maximum range immediately, and holding for 10s. The rest interval will be 10 s. For the control group, passive stretch technique with the same treatment time will be given, instead. All participants will be asked to do home exercises after discharged from the hospital. The outcome measures will be given before and after the first session treatment on the same day, on the day of discharge, and one month after the operation. The variables measured will be (1) knee flexion angle measured with a universal goniometer, (2) maximum voluntary isometric strength of the knee extensor measured with a hand-held dynamometer, (3) pain score using pain visual analog scale, (4) function performance of the lower extremity measured with timed up and go test, (5) Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) to record 5 dimensions including the symptoms, stiffness, pain, difficulties in knee functions and/or daily activities, limitations in sports or recreational participation, and quality of life.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: December 2008
• Est. primary completion date: December 2008
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• OA knee

• primary unilateral TKA

Exclusion Criteria:

• knee flexion>110 or thigh girth > 55 cm

• poor cognition

• CNS or PNS neuromuscular disease

• received operation in recent 3 months

• joint infection and loosening

• revision total knee arthroplasty

• complication during follow up

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Total Knee Arthroplasty

Intervention

Procedure:
• PNF stretching
PNF stretching x 5 repetitions and continue 3 days
• passive stretching
passive stretching x 5 repetitions continue 3 days

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Taiwan	National Taiwan University Hospital	Taipei

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
National Taiwan University Hospital

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Taiwan, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	knee flexion angle		baseline and follow up	No
Secondary	VAS pain score		baseline and follow up	No
Secondary	knee extensor strength		baseline and follow up	No
Secondary	time up and go test time		baseline and follow up	No
Secondary	KOOS score		baseline and follow up	No