Efficacy of the NXSignal Device for the Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

NCT ID: NCT05207943

Last Updated: 2025-08-28

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

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-05-25

Study Completion Date

2025-12-25

Brief Summary

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Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is very common among sports professionals and the general population \[. Unlike other joint injuries, it is reversible, but it can damage adjacent tissues, particularly the meniscus, and catalyze knee osteoarthritis.

ACL injury produces instability, joint mechanical alteration, which can lead to degenerative joint diseases. The goal of treating the injury will be to prevent symptomatic instability, restore normal knee kinematics, and prevent degenerative joint disease .

Its usual treatment is surgical and therefore contributes to a significant cost for the health system, both for the surgeries themselves, and for the rehabilitation and subsequent recovery processes.

Within recovery therapies, in some cases, and given their popularity within the world of physiotherapy, electrotherapy techniques are proposed, primarily transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation-type techniques with action on the muscular system and analgesia.

An early intervention with neuromuscular electrostimulation electrotherapy (NMES) combined with repeated exercises is effective for the recovery of strength and restoration of the biomechanical symmetry of the limb.

There is a diversity of opinions and disparate results regarding the use of this type of technique , in any case, it has been shown that electrical stimulation favors cell migration and joint tissue regeneration.

Detailed Description

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The design of this study is a randomised, triple blind clinical trial with placebo control.

The general configuration of the study consists of capturing a group of patients treated with the same ACL surgical technique, operated on by the same surgeon, and including an additional treatment with the NESA XSIGNAL® device in a group of them.

For this, a double-blind capture system will be available (neither users nor specialists responsible for recovery will know which patients enter the complementary treatment) and two NESA XSIGNAL® devices operating double-blind (due to the imperceptivity of the stimulation performed, there will be a placebo machine and another that applies the treatment).

At the end of the study, the results obtained between the different groups of patients will be able to be compared; those additionally treated with a device, those treated with a placebo device and those in the standard rehabilitation procedure without a device.

Conditions

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Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors
The intervention to which the subjects have been assigned, the specialist and the researcher who collects the information and performs the follow-ups will be blinded, using the simulated NESA XSIGNAL® device. Data analysis will also be performed in a blinded fashion.

Patients will be assigned to NESA XSIGNAL® device 1 or 2. These devices will be labeled "1" and "2" and only the manufacturer will know which is the real or the simulated one. In the same way, to avoid subjective comparisons of the participants, in the same room, device 1 and 2 at the same time will not be used.

Study Groups

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Non-invasive Neuromodulation

Intervention with microcurrents: application of 6 electrodes per extremity and an adhesive electrode at C7 level and and in the popliteal fossa.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Non-invasive Neuromodulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The electrodes will be placed with the help of gloves and adapted socks for 1 hour, twice a week, until 10 intervention sessions are completed. In addition, depending on the session, an adhesive electrode will be placed at the level of C7. Characteristics of microcurrents: pulsed monophasic rectangular wave with a pulse of 1.3 s and pause of 300 ms, voltage 3 millivolt and intensity 0.5 μA.

Placebo Non-invasive Neuromodulation

Placebo microcurrents Intervention with microcurrents: application of 6 electrodes per extremity and an adhesive electrode at C7 level and in the popliteal fossa.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Placebo Non-invasive Neuromodulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The same protocol described for the experimental group will be applied, but microcurrents device which will be previously manipulated and tested with an oscilloscope so that they do not emit electrical currents

Control

Participant will maintain the conventional rehabilitation treatment

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Non-invasive Neuromodulation

The electrodes will be placed with the help of gloves and adapted socks for 1 hour, twice a week, until 10 intervention sessions are completed. In addition, depending on the session, an adhesive electrode will be placed at the level of C7. Characteristics of microcurrents: pulsed monophasic rectangular wave with a pulse of 1.3 s and pause of 300 ms, voltage 3 millivolt and intensity 0.5 μA.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Placebo Non-invasive Neuromodulation

The same protocol described for the experimental group will be applied, but microcurrents device which will be previously manipulated and tested with an oscilloscope so that they do not emit electrical currents

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Over 16 years old
* In normal conditions and mentally competent to participate in the study.
* Not having previous knee surgeries.
* In condition to complete the study questionnaires.

Exclusion Criteria

* Present some of the contraindications for a treatment with NESA XSIGNAL®: pacemakers, internal bleeding, do not apply electrodes on skin in poor condition, with ulcerations or wounds, acute febrile processes, acute thrombophlebitis and / or electricity phobia.
* Not having signed the informed consent.
* Urgent surgical interventions.
Minimum Eligible Age

16 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Aníbal Báez Suárez

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Aníbal Báez Suárez, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Locations

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University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Spain

Central Contacts

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Aníbal Báez Suárez, PhD

Role: CONTACT

652077692

Facility Contacts

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Anibal Báez, Professor

Role: primary

+34652077692

References

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Sanders TL, Maradit Kremers H, Bryan AJ, Larson DR, Dahm DL, Levy BA, Stuart MJ, Krych AJ. Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears and Reconstruction: A 21-Year Population-Based Study. Am J Sports Med. 2016 Jun;44(6):1502-7. doi: 10.1177/0363546516629944. Epub 2016 Feb 26.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 26920430 (View on PubMed)

Stewart BA, Momaya AM, Silverstein MD, Lintner D. The Cost-Effectiveness of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Competitive Athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2017 Jan;45(1):23-33. doi: 10.1177/0363546516664719. Epub 2016 Sep 30.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 27590175 (View on PubMed)

Kakavas G, Malliaropoulos N, Bikos G, Pruna R, Valle X, Tsaklis P, Maffulli N. Periodization in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation: A Novel Framework. Med Princ Pract. 2021;30(2):101-108. doi: 10.1159/000511228. Epub 2020 Dec 2.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33264774 (View on PubMed)

van Melick N, van Cingel RE, Brooijmans F, Neeter C, van Tienen T, Hullegie W, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MW. Evidence-based clinical practice update: practice guidelines for anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation based on a systematic review and multidisciplinary consensus. Br J Sports Med. 2016 Dec;50(24):1506-1515. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095898. Epub 2016 Aug 18.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 27539507 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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NESALCA

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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