ORIF Distal Radius Blood Flow Restriction Therapy — ORIF DR BFR  

Distal Radius Fractures Clinical Trial

Official title: Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Rehabilitation After ORIF of Distal Radius Fractures

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Patients commonly experience a significant amount of muscular atrophy following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery of distal radius fractures, associated with an increased risk of re-injury, and an increase in time of recovery. A combination of low intensity resistance exercise and blood flow restriction (BFR) therapy has been shown to elicit responses similar to high intensity resistance exercise with reduced risk. We hypothesize that chronic low intensity resistance exercise combined with BFR will improve muscular strength, reduce skeletal muscle atrophy, and will enhance recovery.

Therefore, the specific aims of this study are as follows:

1. Determine if BFR added to standard post-operative rehab will prevent skeletal muscle atrophy and promote skeletal muscle growth during 12-weeks of rehab training compared to traditional rehab alone. The working hypothesis, founded on previous literature, is that combined rehab and BFR will enhance skeletal muscle growth and prevent atrophy to a greater extent than rehab alone.

2. Determine if BFR added to standard post-operative rehab will improve muscular strength following surgery compared to traditional rehab alone. Because strength can be attributed to skeletal muscle mass, the working hypothesis, founded on previous literature, is that combined rehab and BFR will enhance skeletal muscle strength and fatigue resistance to a greater extent than rehab alone.

3. Determine if BFR added to standard post-operative rehab will improve functional outcomes following surgery compared to traditional rehab alone. The working hypothesis, founded on previous literature is that BFR will improve functional outcomes over rehab alone.

Clinical Trial Description

he study will be a prospective randomized control trial consisting of subjects requiring ORIF of the distal radius. Subjects will be divided into two groups based on age, then subsequently be randomly divided into two groups following their inclusion in the study.

Groups will be normalized based on gender. One group will undergo the normal rehabilitation protocol for the hand and wrist as determined by Dr. Liberman. The study group will undergo rehabilitation protocol for distal radius fractures modified by use of a tourniquet for blood flow restriction during selected exercises. On the day of the procedure, the surgeon will measure the subject's forearm girth, the location of the largest circumference. The subject will then undergo the normal operative fixation of the distal radius fracture. A subject will be excluded from the study if they have had any prior surgeries on their affected wrist. At the subject's two week postoperative clinic visit, the physician will measure forearm girth. Study group subjects will begin physical therapy instructed BFR exercises at two weeks post operatively. Study group subjects will be taken through normal hand and wrist rehab protocol as well as BFR exercises. Control group subjects will do the same exercises and formal physical therapy rehab protocol as the study group without BFR. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Distal Radius Fractures
• Radius Fractures
• Wrist Fractures

• NCT number: NCT06136286
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
• Contact: Haley Goble, MHA
• Phone: 7134413930
• Email: hmgoble@houstonmethodist.org
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 22, 2019
• Completion date: January 1, 2027