Improving Recovery After Orthopaedic Trauma: Cognitive-Behavioral Based Physical Therapy (CBPT)

NCT ID: NCT03335657

Last Updated: 2025-09-26

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

633 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-07-18

Study Completion Date

2021-07-18

Brief Summary

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The goal of the CBPT study is to determine the efficacy of the CBPT program for improving outcomes in service members and civilians at-risk for poor outcomes following traumatic lower-extremity injury. Primary outcome is physical function measured through a patient-reported questionnaire and physical performance tests. Secondary outcomes include pain and general health. Tertiary outcome is return to work/duty.

Detailed Description

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Following extremity injury, referral (and direct access) to physical therapy (PT) is considered standard of care. And, while PT strategies are commonly impairment focused, clinicians across multiple subspecialties of physical therapy recognize the importance of addressing pain and pain-related psychosocial factors as strong predictors of chronic pain as well as long-term physical and psychological disability.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions have documented positive influence on psychosocial factors in patients with chronic pain. CBT-based self-management programs have also demonstrated improvement in patient outcomes and the adoption of a physically active lifestyle, as well as improvement in fear-avoidance beliefs and self-efficacy, in various populations with chronic conditions. These evidence-based CBT and self-management strategies provide the basis for the study intervention.

The proposed project will conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of the CBPT program in patients at-risk for poor outcomes following traumatic lower-extremity injury. Central hypothesis is that delivery of CBPT by physical therapists over the telephone will improve outcomes, through reductions in pain catastrophizing and fear of movement and improvement in pain self-efficacy. The investigators propose a large, rigorous evaluation of the CBPT program in patients with lower extremity trauma with the goal of engaging civilians and service members in their own care and improving pain and functional outcomes.

Specific Aim 1 To determine the efficacy of the CBPT program for improving outcomes in service members and civilians at-risk for poor outcomes following traumatic lower-extremity injury. Primary outcome is physical function measured through a patient-reported questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include physical performance tests, pain and general health. Tertiary outcome is return to work/duty.

Specific Aim 2 To determine whether changes in the intermediary outcomes of pain catastrophizing, fear of movement, and self-efficacy at 6 months are associated with improvement in outcomes 12 months after hospital discharge.

Specific Aim 3 To determine whether subgroups of patients are more likely to benefit from the CBPT program.

Specific Aim 4 To examine the value of CBPT relative to Education using Markov decision-analysis.

Conditions

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Lower Extremity Injury

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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CBPT Treatment

The CBPT intervention delivers a patient-oriented cognitive-behavioral self-management program to improve physical function and reduce pain, through reductions in pain catastrophizing and fear of movement and increases in self-efficacy. The program consists of six weekly telephone sessions with a trained physical therapist. Sessions cover an introduction and rationale for treatment in addition to techniques such as deep breathing, graded activity plan and goal-setting, distraction techniques, automatic thoughts, coping self-statements, being present-minded, and relapse prevention and symptom management plans. At the end of the 6th week, patients will build individualized recovery plans with selected strategies and details on frequency of practice.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

CBPT

Intervention Type OTHER

The CBPT program focuses on a patient-oriented cognitive-behavioral self-management approach to improve physical function and reduce pain, through reductions in pain catastrophizing and fear of movement and increases in self-efficacy.

Education Treatment

The education program provides a postoperative recovery and is based on education that would typically be provided by a treating physician or a physical therapist in an outpatient setting. The education program is matched to the CBPT treatment in terms of session frequency and contact with the study therapist. The therapist will call weekly to check in with the patient and encourage him/her to read the manual. Manuals contain educational information on injury patterns and symptoms, stress and recovery, benefits of physical therapy, and importance of daily exercise, and ways to promote healing. Education on sleep hygiene, energy management, healthy eating, and preventing future injury are also provided.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Education Treatment

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants receiving the education control arm are receiving a placebo intervention to control for the attention of the interventionist. They will receive standardized educational material addressing recovery from orthopaedic trauma.

Interventions

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CBPT

The CBPT program focuses on a patient-oriented cognitive-behavioral self-management approach to improve physical function and reduce pain, through reductions in pain catastrophizing and fear of movement and increases in self-efficacy.

Intervention Type OTHER

Education Treatment

Participants receiving the education control arm are receiving a placebo intervention to control for the attention of the interventionist. They will receive standardized educational material addressing recovery from orthopaedic trauma.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Ages 18-60 yrs inclusive
2. Patients with at least one acute orthopaedic injury to the lower extremities or pelvis/acetabulum (determination based on information available at the time of enrollment).
3. Injury resulting from a moderate to high energy force (e.g. motor vehicle or motorcycle crash, fall \> 10 ft, gun shot, blunt trauma)
4. Patients receiving operative fixation for one or more acute orthopaedic injuries at a participating hospital. Patients should be recruited at the time of primary injury, not revision or complication surgery
5. Presence of psychosocial risk factors for poor outcomes (defined as a score greater than 30 on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) or a score equal to or greater than 39 on the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) or a score equal to or less than 40 on the Pain Self Efficacy Scale (PSES)). These risk factors will be identified between 2 and 8 weeks after hospital discharge.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Non-English speaking
2. Patients who are unable to start the program within 12 weeks of discharge from hospital because of multiple readmission, admission to a rehabilitation facility, or other extenuating circumstances
3. Patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), as evidenced by intracranial hemorrhage present on admission CT. If no CT performed, patient assumed not to have moderate or severe TBI
4. Patients with major amputations of the upper or lower extremities (great toe, thumb, or proximal to the wrist or ankle)
5. Patients who require a Legally Authorized Representative (as defined by an inability to answer the "Evaluation of Give Consent" questions)
6. Patients non-ambulatory pre-injury or due to an associated spinal cord injury
7. History of dementia or Alzheimer's disease based on medical record or patient self-report
8. History of neurological disorder, disease or event, resulting in prior cognitive and/or physical impairment, such as prior TBI or stroke based on medical record or patient self-report
9. Presence of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder based on medical record or patient self-report
10. Current alcohol and/or drug addiction based on medical record or patient self-report
11. Severe problems with maintaining follow-up expected (e.g. patients who are incarcerated or homeless)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Kristin Swygert, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Katherine Frey, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Johns Hopkins University

Locations

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Florida Orthopaedic Institute

Tampa, Florida, United States

Site Status

Methodist Hospital

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Site Status

University of Maryland, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Site Status

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Site Status

Carolinas Medical Center

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Site Status

Vanderbilt Medical Center

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Site Status

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School

Houston, Texas, United States

Site Status

San Antonio Military Medical Center

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Archer KR, Davidson CA, Alkhoury D, Vanston SW, Moore TL, Deluca A, Betz JF, Thompson RE, Obremskey WT, Slobogean GP, Melton DH, Wilken JM, Karunakar MA, Rivera JC, Mir HR, McKinley TO, Frey KP, Castillo RC, Wegener ST; METRC. Cognitive-Behavioral-Based Physical Therapy for Improving Recovery After Traumatic Orthopaedic Lower Extremity Injury (CBPT-Trauma). J Orthop Trauma. 2022 Jan 1;36(Suppl 1):S1-S7. doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002283.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34924512 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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W81XWH-16-2-0060

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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