Addressing Kinesiophobia in Post-Meniscoplasty Patients Through Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training and Acupressure

Gansu University of Chinese Medicine

Status: Completed

Conditions: Meniscus Tear

Treatments: Other: standard care; Other: Enhanced Care with PMRT and Acupressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06409715

interventional

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this clinical trial is to determine whether progressive muscle relaxation training and acupressure can reduce kinesiophobia (fear of movement) in patients recovering from meniscoplasty surgery. The study will also monitor the safety of these non-pharmacological interventions. The main questions the trial aims to answer are:

Does the combination of progressive muscle relaxation training and acupressure decrease kinesiophobia in post-meniscoplasty patients? What are the other benefits, if any, of these interventions in terms of pain management and functional mobility? Are there any negative effects associated with these treatments?

Participants in the study will:

Receive progressive muscle relaxation training and acupressure or a placebo control treatment for a duration of 3 months.

Visit the clinic once every month for evaluation and follow-up treatments. Keep a journal recording their fear of movement levels, pain levels, and mobility status.

Full description

This study received approval from the Ethics Committee of a tertiary class A hospital in Lanzhou, ID 202159. The research period extended from December 2021 to February 2023. Subjects comprised patients who developed kinesiophobia following meniscus shaping surgery within the Sports Medicine Department of the aforementioned hospital in Lanzhou.

Enrollment: 65 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients confirmed with meniscal damage as per established diagnostic guidelines and subjected to meniscus sculpting surgery
• Individuals post-meniscus surgery exhibiting a Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) score exceeding 37 points
• First-time patients receiving unilateral meniscal surgery
• Exclusive employment of the meniscus sculpting surgical procedure
• Participation were entirely voluntary for all research participants

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with compromised consciousness or communicative impairments
• Individuals with a history or presence of post-surgical lower limb thrombosis, resulting in activity limitation
• Patients enduring deformities in the hip or ankle joints
• Those previously engaged in analogous research endeavors

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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65 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training (PMRT) involves a series of 11 steps, each involving muscle tension for 10 seconds, followed by 5 seconds of relaxation, with each step repeated twice. This method, provided by the Chinese Medical Association Audiovisual Publishing House, starts on the third postoperative day if there are no complications, with two 30-minute sessions daily. After PMRT, patients proceed with an Acupressure protocol. The session begins with 5-10 minutes of kneading around the knee and pinching the quadriceps, followed by lighter kneading around the patella and its periphery. Knee movements are made within pain limits. Acupressure targets points Zusanli(S36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Yanglingquan(GB34) with pressure held for 10 seconds when soreness or numbness is felt. Each point is treated in 3-5 cycles during the twice-daily, 5-minute sessions, concluding with palm percussion on the calf to relax muscles.

Treatment:

Other: Enhanced Care with PMRT and Acupressure

Control group

Experimental group

Description:

Following recommended protocols from "Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Rehabilitation Nursing" 26, post-meniscectomy patient care primarily involves vital sign monitoring, positional support, dietary management, pain control, psychological support, functional training, and educational initiatives on health matters.

Treatment:

Other: standard care