Does Rehabilitation After Total Hip Or Knee Arthroplasty Work (DRAW2)

NCT ID: NCT04960241

Last Updated: 2025-10-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 169 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-04-06
• Study Completion Date: 2025-03-18

Brief Summary

Overall frame: The overall or "parent" DRAW-project is a large-scale project run in Denmark that aims to provide substantial level 1A evidence-data related to the question: Does rehabilitation after total hip and knee replacements work? In the DRAW project, the authors challenge the belief that physical rehabilitation is clinically important - and surely better than "no physical rehabilitation". To challenge this belief thoroughly, the DRAW project holds many individual work packages centered around the same question. These work packages will be conducted in collaboration with municipality rehabilitation centers in Denmark so that specific usual care strategies are reflected in the different trials and local clinical relevance is as well as implementation potential are increased.

Detailed Description

The DRAW2-trial is a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial that aims to replicate the DRAW1-trial findings (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03750448, trial protocol: https://f1000research.com/articles/10-146). Based on stakeholder input from Municipality Rehabilitation Bornholm, the DRAW1-trial was designed as a superiority trial to test the hypothesis that physical rehabilitation (telerehabilitation and home-based rehabilitation) is superior to no physical rehabilitation in a mixed population of patients after total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA, respectively). After DRAW1-trial inclusion was completed and the target sample size reached, an opportunity to continue the trial presented because additional funding was obtained. At the same time, Municipality Rehabilitation Bornholm asked for stratified data (THA/TKA) that could help guide their decision concerning a potential purchase of telerehabilitation equipment (more details on stakeholder input can be found in the trial protocol, https://f1000research.com/articles/10-146). To meet this new research objective of stratified analysis for THA and TKA, it was advised from the local ethical committee that a new and almost identical trial was registered, which would allow for a doubling of the sample simple size, so that adequately powered stratified analyses could be made. This new trial is named the DRAW2-trial.

The DRAW2-trial will adhere to the published DRAW1-trial protocol (https://f1000research.com/articles/10-146) and only small logistic modifications to trial procedures have been made. Because some of the DRAW1-trial participants felt overwhelmed by the amount of information they received during the first and only study introduction (usually takes place 5-7 days after surgery), the study introduction in the DRAW2-trial can be divided into two separate consultations a few days apart whenever deemed appropriate by the consulting physiotherapist. The DRAW2 trial will be reported and published independently, including the same outcomes and outcome hierarchy as the DRAW1-trial. As such, it will be an independent replication trial.

Research plan

While the DRAW2-trial will focus on replication of the DRAW-1 trial findings, the opportunity to run a replication trial at the same trial site with little delay between the two trials will also enable us to address the questions outlined below, by subsequent pooling of data from the two trials.

Question 1: Is physical rehabilitation superior to no physical rehabilitation after THA and TKA using two usual care strategies in Denmark (stratified analyses THA vs. TKA by pooling DRAW1 and 2 trial data)?

Question 2: Is home-based rehabilitation as good as home-based telerehabilitation in a mixed population of THA and TKA using two usual care strategies in Denmark (equivalence analysis by pooling DRAW1 and 2 trial data)?

Question 3: Is physical rehabilitation superior to no physical rehabilitation after THA in general (using DRAW1 and 2 THA trial data in an ongoing living systematic review? (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=203574).

Question 3: Is physical rehabilitation superior to no physical rehabilitation after TKA in general (using DRAW1 and 2 TKA trial data in an ongoing living systematic review? (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42018094785).

Conditions

Rehabilitation; Telerehabilitation; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Homebased telerehabilitation

Patients randomized to this group will receive interactive virtual rehabilitation using a mobile app. The telerehabilitation is based on sensor technology, developed by ICURA. This technology consists of motion sensors that can measure and analyse the quantity and quality of the exercises, and a mobile application that can guide the patient with visual response. A unique feature of ICURA trainer allows the physiotherapist to remotely supervise the individual patients exercise adherence and progress. This technology has already been successfully implemented in several different rehabilitation facilities across Denmark, and, hence, reflects current clinical practice.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Homebased telerehabilitation

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

The telerehabilitation intervention is based on sensor technology, developed by ICURA. The technology consists of motion sensors that can measure and analyse the quantity and quality of the exercises, and a mobile application that can guide the patients with visual response. A unique feature of ICURA trainer allows the physiotherapist to remotely supervise the individual patients exercise adherence and progress. The patients will receive a suitcase with five sensors (to be placed bilaterally on lower legs, thighs and one around the waist), a smartphone to record the exercises and a charging station free of charge during the 6-week intervention. At the end of the intervention the material will be returned at the first follow-up (t1). For more information please visit https://icura.dk.

Homebased rehabilitation

This group will be instructed in similar exercises as patients allocated to telerehabilitation. However, this group will receive a written exercise-program with instructions to perform these exercises at home. The home-based exercise program will be created using exercise templates from Exorlive. Using a link provided in the exercise-program, the patients will be able to see short instruction-videos of the individual exercises.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Homebased rehabilitation

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

The unsupervised rehabilitation group will receive a written exercise program in order to perform daily exercises at home. The exercise program will be made using Exorlive (for more information about Exorlive please visit https://www.exorlive.com). In addition to the written program, patients will able to use a link provided to see small video-instructions on the internet of each exercise on the program. No feedback or supplementary instructions will be given after the initial face-to-face appointment.

No physical rehabilitation

This group of randomised patients will not be given any physical rehabilitation intervention. This means no physical activity or exercise designed and prescribed for restoring normal function or reducing pain cause by disease, injury or surgery. The no intervention group will be encouraged to stay active and continue life as usual, gradually returning to their activities of daily living when they feel ready for it.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

No physical rehabilitation

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Patients allocated to the no intervention group will receive encouragement to stay active and be encouraged to gradually return to activities of daily living. This will be the only exercise-encouragement given to the no-intervention group.

Interventions

Homebased telerehabilitation

The telerehabilitation intervention is based on sensor technology, developed by ICURA. The technology consists of motion sensors that can measure and analyse the quantity and quality of the exercises, and a mobile application that can guide the patients with visual response. A unique feature of ICURA trainer allows the physiotherapist to remotely supervise the individual patients exercise adherence and progress. The patients will receive a suitcase with five sensors (to be placed bilaterally on lower legs, thighs and one around the waist), a smartphone to record the exercises and a charging station free of charge during the 6-week intervention. At the end of the intervention the material will be returned at the first follow-up (t1). For more information please visit https://icura.dk.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Homebased rehabilitation

The unsupervised rehabilitation group will receive a written exercise program in order to perform daily exercises at home. The exercise program will be made using Exorlive (for more information about Exorlive please visit https://www.exorlive.com). In addition to the written program, patients will able to use a link provided to see small video-instructions on the internet of each exercise on the program. No feedback or supplementary instructions will be given after the initial face-to-face appointment.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

No physical rehabilitation

Patients allocated to the no intervention group will receive encouragement to stay active and be encouraged to gradually return to activities of daily living. This will be the only exercise-encouragement given to the no-intervention group.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Patients having had primary, unilateral THA or TKA due to osteoarthritis. Patients being referred to receive postoperative rehabilitation at our institution.

Patients being able to speak, read and understand Danish language. Patients aged ≥ 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients not able to comply with exercise instructions. Patients who are discharged to a nursing-home facility or receiving in-home rehabilitation by home care.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Troels Mark Christensen

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Troels Mark Christensen

Principal investigator

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Genoptræningen, Nørremøllecenteret

Nexø, Bornholm, Denmark

Countries

Denmark

Other Identifiers

Bornholms Regionskommune

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id