Massage Therapy After Thoracic or Lumbar Surgery

NCT ID: NCT06424158

Last Updated: 2024-05-23

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-02-17

Study Completion Date

2026-08-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The purpose of this research is to look at the effect of massage therapy on the pain, anxiety, and quality of life that pediatric patients have after undergoing spinal fusion surgery. This is a single-site, prospective, randomized, interventional study design that will involve post-thoracic and post-lumbar spinal fusion surgeries of pediatric patients from 7 to 19 years of age that present to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. These patients will be identified prior to their scheduled spinal fusion surgery and recruited to enroll in the study. The planned spinal fusion surgeries are not considered part of this research project, but rather considered standard of care and would occur whether the patient is enrolled in this project or not. Enrolled participants will be followed during their inpatient stay and through their subsequent follow-up visits at weeks 2, 6, and 12. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a massage therapy group or a group that receives the standard (normal) care for recovery after surgery. The final study involvement will occur at week 16 (post-hospital discharge) where a study team member will administer a quality of life (PedsQL) questionnaire via phone or mail with the subject. Data will be collected after study related procedures are completed.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

There has been an increasing amount of spinal fusion surgeries in the United States. These patients struggle with anxiety and stress before surgery, and experience significant hardship during postoperative recovery including management of opioid related side effects, effective pain control, delay in mobilization, and prolonged length of stay. A growing body of research, however, has shown massage therapy (MT) as an effective alternative to conventional treatments. MT raises the temperature of local tissues, dilates capillaries, accelerates the circulation of blood and lymph, promotes the absorption of local tissue metabolism and mass inflammation, improves the nutritional supply of surrounding muscle groups, promotes their growth and development, and relieves pain.

The aim of this present study is to assess the effect of MT on perceived post-surgical pain, anxiety, and quality of life experienced by pediatric patients who have undergone thoracic and lumbar spinal fusion.

Potential participants will be identified prior to their scheduled spinal fusion surgery and recruited to enroll in the study. The planned spinal fusion surgeries are not considered part of this research project, but rather considered standard of care and would occur whether the patient is enrolled in this project or not. After surgery, another review of inclusion and exclusion criteria will be done to determine the subject's continued eligibility for participation. If criteria are met, the child participant will be randomized into one of two study groups, 1) Massage Therapy Group or 2) A Control Group for their post-surgery recovery plan. Enrolled participants will be followed during their inpatient stay and through their subsequent follow-up visits at weeks 2, 6, and 12. The final study involvement will occur at week 16 (post-hospital discharge) where a study team member will administer a quality of life questionnaire via phone or mail with the subject.

All participants whom are randomized into the massage therapy group are treated by a certified pediatric massage therapist. At least two 30- minute massage therapy sessions are performed on postoperative days two and four or five. Either post-operative day 4 or 5 can be selected as a second in-patient massage therapy session as long as the session occurs Monday through Friday, as the massage therapy service is not offered during the weekend hours of Saturday or Sunday. If the participant's length of stay is six days or longer, the participant continues to receive treatment every other day for the duration of hospitalization. Each individual patient is treated according to what their needs are, which means one participant may prefer neck and shoulder massage and another may prefer legs and feet. The participant remains in a position of comfort which for spinal fusion patients is generally in the supine, sitting, or side laying position. A combination of therapies including myofascial release, compression, and Swedish massage will be employed. Light and medium touch are applied but never deep tissue. While scar mobilization is a desired outcome postoperatively, this is not an immediate goal. The incision site remains clean and covered without any manipulation. Rehabilitation goals are to maximize mobility and flexibility of surrounding structures but is only addressed by the physical therapy team. Massage therapy does not involve any form of stretching or range of motion techniques. The study team will obtain vital data (Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and O2 stats) along with VAS pain scale and anxiety rating scale measures before and after every session from the patient's medical records.

For those participants randomized into the control group, they will continue to receive the normal standard of care as usual for their recovery and will be monitored by hospital staff in obtaining the same data points (e.g., BP values, HR value, O2 levels) recorded clinically for post-op days 2 and 4/5; as the investigators are collecting in the massage group; however, no therapeutic intervention will occur. If the participant's length of stay is greater than five days the study staff will continue to record these values every other day for the duration of hospitalization. Study staff will retrieve these data variables via the patient's electronic medical record and enter data into the study database. A study member will visit with the subject on day 2, day 4/5 (and every other day if length of stay is greater than five days) to collect anxiety and pain scores measurements.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Scoliosis; Adolescence Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Thoracic Region Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Lumbar Region

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Massage Therapy Group

Participants in the massage therapy group are treated by a certified pediatric massage therapist for at least two 30- minute massage therapy sessions performed on postoperative days two and four or five. Participants will continue to receive standard of care, including any pain medications as needed.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Massage Therapy

Intervention Type OTHER

Massage therapy (MT) has been proven as an alternative non-opioid pain management intervention, particularly towards reducing pain, diminishing depression, improving immune function, and increasing alertness in the adult population. MT raises the temperature of local tissues, dilates capillaries, accelerates the circulation of blood and lymph, promotes the absorption of local tissue metabolism and mass inflammation, improves the nutritional supply of surrounding muscle groups, promotes their growth and development, and relieves pain.

Control Group

Participants in control group will continue to receive the normal standard of care as usual for their recovery and will be monitored by hospital staff in obtaining the same data points recorded clinically for post-op days 2 and 4/5; however, no therapeutic intervention will occur.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy (MT) has been proven as an alternative non-opioid pain management intervention, particularly towards reducing pain, diminishing depression, improving immune function, and increasing alertness in the adult population. MT raises the temperature of local tissues, dilates capillaries, accelerates the circulation of blood and lymph, promotes the absorption of local tissue metabolism and mass inflammation, improves the nutritional supply of surrounding muscle groups, promotes their growth and development, and relieves pain.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Patients scheduled to undergo their first thoracic or lumbar spinal fusion surgery
* Able to participate and perform in a massage therapy as a recovery option
* Participant needs to be verbal
* Ability to understand study procedures and to comply with them for the entire length of the study

Exclusion Criteria

* Prospective patients scheduled to undergo any spinal fusion other than a thoracic or lumbar spinal fusion surgery.
* Prospective patients scheduled to undergo a second or multiple thoracic or lumbar spinal fusion surgery
* Previous cardiac surgery
* Chronic pain syndromes
* Chronic opioid usage
* History of psychosis
* Prolonged bleeding
* Intubation greater than 24 hours
* Illicit/recreation drug use
* Paralysis diagnosis
* History of chronic pain requiring medical intervention
* Neuromuscular scoliosis diagnosis
* Cerebral palsy diagnosis
* Developmental delay characteristics
Minimum Eligible Age

7 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

19 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Cook Children's Health Care System

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Meredith Brooks, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Cook Children's Health Care System

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Cook Children's Medical Center

Fort Worth, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Throy Campbell, PhD

Role: CONTACT

682-885-1044

Kristy Reyes

Role: CONTACT

682-885-1044

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Laurie Bailey, PhD

Role: primary

682-885-2488

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

American Massage Therapy Association. Massage Therapy Industry Fact Sheet. (2019). American Massage Therapy Association website. https://www.amtamassage.org/globalassets/documents/src/2019-pdf.pdf. Published 2019. Accessed June 22, 2020.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Bauer BA, Cutshall SM, Wentworth LJ, Engen D, Messner PK, Wood CM, Brekke KM, Kelly RF, Sundt TM 3rd. Effect of massage therapy on pain, anxiety, and tension after cardiac surgery: a randomized study. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2010 May;16(2):70-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.06.012. Epub 2009 Jul 14.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20347836 (View on PubMed)

Beider S, Moyer CA. Randomized controlled trials of pediatric massage: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Mar;4(1):23-34. doi: 10.1093/ecam/nel068. Epub 2006 Nov 3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17342238 (View on PubMed)

Braun LA, Stanguts C, Casanelia L, Spitzer O, Paul E, Vardaxis NJ, Rosenfeldt F. Massage therapy for cardiac surgery patients--a randomized trial. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012 Dec;144(6):1453-9, 1459.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2012.04.027. Epub 2012 Sep 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22964355 (View on PubMed)

Blanco JS, Perlman SL, Cha HS, Delpizzo K. Multimodal pain management after spinal surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Orthopedics. 2013 Feb;36(2 Suppl):33-5. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20130122-55.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23379574 (View on PubMed)

Connelly M, Fulmer RD, Prohaska J, Anson L, Dryer L, Thomas V, Ariagno JE, Price N, Schwend R. Predictors of postoperative pain trajectories in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Feb 1;39(3):E174-81. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000099.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24173016 (View on PubMed)

Erdogmus CB, Resch KL, Sabitzer R, Muller H, Nuhr M, Schoggl A, Posch M, Osterode W, Ungersbock K, Ebenbichler GR. Physiotherapy-based rehabilitation following disc herniation operation: results of a randomized clinical trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007 Sep 1;32(19):2041-9. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e318145a386.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17762803 (View on PubMed)

Falkensteiner M, Mantovan F, Muller I, Them C. The use of massage therapy for reducing pain, anxiety, and depression in oncological palliative care patients: a narrative review of the literature. ISRN Nurs. 2011;2011:929868. doi: 10.5402/2011/929868. Epub 2011 Aug 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22007330 (View on PubMed)

Field TM, Quintino O, Hernandez-Reif M, Koslovsky G. Adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder benefit from massage therapy. Adolescence. 1998 Spring;33(129):103-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9583664 (View on PubMed)

Field T, Grizzle N, Scafidi F, Schanberg S. Massage and relaxation therapies' effects on depressed adolescent mothers. Adolescence. 1996 Winter;31(124):903-11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8970662 (View on PubMed)

Field T, Morrow C, Valdeon C, Larson S, Kuhn C, Schanberg S. Massage reduces anxiety in child and adolescent psychiatric patients. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1992 Jan;31(1):125-31. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199201000-00019.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 1537763 (View on PubMed)

Gan TJ, Habib AS, Miller TE, White W, Apfelbaum JL. Incidence, patient satisfaction, and perceptions of post-surgical pain: results from a US national survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2014 Jan;30(1):149-60. doi: 10.1185/03007995.2013.860019. Epub 2013 Nov 15.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24237004 (View on PubMed)

Jadhav MP, Jadhav PM, Shelke P, Sharma Y, Nadkar M. Assessment of use of complementary alternative medicine and its impact on quality of life in the patients attending rheumatology clinic, in a tertiary care centre in India. Indian J Med Sci. 2011 Feb;65(2):50-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23196313 (View on PubMed)

Kain ZN. Postoperative maladaptive behavioral changes in children: incidence, risks factors and interventions. Acta Anaesthesiol Belg. 2000;51(4):217-26. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11129622 (View on PubMed)

Kain ZN, Mayes LC, O'Connor TZ, Cicchetti DV. Preoperative anxiety in children. Predictors and outcomes. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1996 Dec;150(12):1238-45. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1996.02170370016002.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8953995 (View on PubMed)

Martin CT, Pugely AJ, Gao Y, Mendoza-Lattes SA, Ilgenfritz RM, Callaghan JJ, Weinstein SL. Increasing hospital charges for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in the United States. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Sep 15;39(20):1676-82. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000501.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24983937 (View on PubMed)

Mathews L. Pain in children: neglected, unaddressed and mismanaged. Indian J Palliat Care. 2011 Jan;17(Suppl):S70-3. doi: 10.4103/0973-1075.76247.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21811376 (View on PubMed)

McGregor AH, Dore CJ, Morris TP, Morris S, Jamrozik K. Function after spinal treatment, exercise and rehabilitation (FASTER): improving the functional outcome of spinal surgery. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Jan 26;11:17. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-11-17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20102625 (View on PubMed)

Muhly WT, Sankar WN, Ryan K, Norton A, Maxwell LG, DiMaggio T, Farrell S, Hughes R, Gornitzky A, Keren R, McCloskey JJ, Flynn JM. Rapid Recovery Pathway After Spinal Fusion for Idiopathic Scoliosis. Pediatrics. 2016 Apr;137(4):e20151568. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-1568. Epub 2016 Mar 23.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27009035 (View on PubMed)

Noshchenko A, Hoffecker L, Lindley EM, Burger EL, Cain CM, Patel VV, Bradford AP. Predictors of spine deformity progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A systematic review with meta-analysis. World J Orthop. 2015 Aug 18;6(7):537-58. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v6.i7.537. eCollection 2015 Aug 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26301183 (View on PubMed)

Rumalla K, Yarbrough CK, Pugely AJ, Koester L, Dorward IG. Spinal fusion for pediatric neuromuscular scoliosis: national trends, complications, and in-hospital outcomes. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Oct;25(4):500-508. doi: 10.3171/2016.2.SPINE151377. Epub 2016 May 20.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27203810 (View on PubMed)

Smith SL, Lux R, Haley S, Slater H, Beachy J, Moyer-Mileur LJ. The effect of massage on heart rate variability in preterm infants. J Perinatol. 2013 Jan;33(1):59-64. doi: 10.1038/jp.2012.47. Epub 2012 Apr 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22538325 (View on PubMed)

Staveski SL, Boulanger K, Erman L, Lin L, Almgren C, Journel C, Roth SJ, Golianu B. The Impact of Massage and Reading on Children's Pain and Anxiety After Cardiovascular Surgery: A Pilot Study. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2018 Aug;19(8):725-732. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000001615.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29912070 (View on PubMed)

Theologis AA, Sing DC, Chekeni F, Diab M. National Trends in the Surgical Management of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Analysis of a National Estimate of 60,108 Children From the National Inpatient Sample Over a 13-Year Time Period in the United States. Spine Deform. 2017 Jan;5(1):56-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jspd.2016.09.001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28038695 (View on PubMed)

Yang S, Werner BC. Risk Factors for Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use After Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2019 Nov/Dec;39(10):500-504. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0000000000001139.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31599858 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

2020-088

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Response to Massage in Neck Pain
NCT06224829 RECRUITING NA