Effects of Motor Learning After Upper Limb Peripheral Nerve Injury

NCT ID: NCT04087577

Last Updated: 2021-08-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 8 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2019-12-19
• Study Completion Date: 2021-02-28

Brief Summary

The outcome of peripheral nerve injury is related to age, level of injury, the injured nerve, the severity of injury, and the timing and the type of surgery interventions. In addition, high-level peripheral nerve injury would not full recovery, and the prognosis is determined by the nerve regeneration.

Conventional physical therapy includes electrical stimulation for denervated muscles, and soft tissue massage, joint range of motion exercises to maintain the flexibility of the affected joint, muscle or connected tissues. However, the nerve regeneration takes several months in high-level median, ulnar or radial nerve injury. Prolonged median or ulnar nerves injury may interfere intrinsic muscular function, and radial nerve injury causes drop hand. Earlier nerve regeneration or motor training is essential for the patients to return to normal life and increase their quality of life

Detailed Description

The outcome of peripheral nerve injury is related to age, level of injury, the injured nerve, the severity of injury, and the timing and the type of surgery interventions. In addition, high-level peripheral nerve injury would not full recovery, and the prognosis is determined by the nerve regeneration.

Conventional physical therapy includes electrical stimulation for denervated muscles, and soft tissue massage, joint range of motion exercises to maintain the flexibility of the affected joint, muscle or connected tissues. However, the nerve regeneration takes several months in high-level median, ulnar or radial nerve injury. Prolonged median or ulnar nerves injury may interfere intrinsic muscular function, and radial nerve injury causes drop hand. Earlier nerve regeneration or motor training is essential for the patients to return to normal life and increase their quality of life. This research aims to explore the effects of mirror therapy for peripheral nerve injury. We will enroll 60 patients who suffer from median, ulnar or radial nerve injury at the level of elbow or proximal forearm. The subjects will be randomized into the mirror-therapy group or the control group. Each group will receive conventional physical therapy (i.e., electrical stimulation, joint range of motion exercise, muscle strengthening training, sensory reeducation training). The mirror-therapy group would be supplemented by motor learning by mirror therapy. The measurements include joint range of motion, pain status, sensibility, grip strength, pinch strength, hand function test and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH). Demographic information will be collected and analyzed by the independent t-tests. The outcome variables taken during the three and six months after the interventions would be included. One-way ANOVA are used to compare the difference between measurements. This study may offer an evidence based results to explore the effects of mirror therapy for peripheral nerve regeneration and motor learning.

Conditions

Peripheral Nerve Injury at Forearm Level (Diagnosis)

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

experimental group

conventional physical therapy with mirror therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

conventional physical therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

includes electrical stimulation for denervated muscles, and soft tissue massage, joint range of motion exercises to maintain the flexibility of the affected joint, muscle or connected tissues, sensory relearning

mirror therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

mirror therapy

control group

conventional physical therapy

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

conventional physical therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

includes electrical stimulation for denervated muscles, and soft tissue massage, joint range of motion exercises to maintain the flexibility of the affected joint, muscle or connected tissues, sensory relearning

Interventions

conventional physical therapy

includes electrical stimulation for denervated muscles, and soft tissue massage, joint range of motion exercises to maintain the flexibility of the affected joint, muscle or connected tissues, sensory relearning

Intervention Type: OTHER

mirror therapy

mirror therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Willing to sign the inform consent
• Sufficiently communicate in the Chinese language
• Be able to follow instructions
• Newly median, ulnar, or radial nerve repair at forearm level in recent 3 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant or breast-feeding woman
• Central nervous disease
• A history of nerve entrapment syndrome in recent 1 year
• Patients with a history of latent neuropathy, such as diabetes, dialysis, and tumor
• Unable to communicate or comprehend the questionnaires

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Yueh-Hsia Chen, Master

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Locations

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Rehabilitation Center, Chung Gung Memorial Hospital

Taoyuan District, , Taiwan

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Taoyuan District, , Taiwan

Countries

Taiwan

Other Identifiers

201900433A3

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id