Effect of a Preoperative Pulsed Electromagnetic Field and Abdominal Exercises on Muscle Strength Post Ventral Hernioplasty

Cairo University (CU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hernia, Ventral

Treatments: Other: Pulsed electromagnetic field; Other: Graduated abdominal strengthening exercises

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05559190

P.T.REC/012/002965

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of a preoperative pulsed electromagnetic field and abdominal exercises on muscle strength post ventral hernioplasty.

Full description

Sixty patients, 25-40 years old, diagnosed with a ventral hernia and consulted for surgical hernia repair, preoperatively, were randomly assigned either into pulsed electromagnetic therapy and graduated abdominal strengthening exercises group (group A), graduated abdominal strengthening exercises group (group B), pulsed electromagnetic therapy group (group C) or group D who is instructed to presume in normal activities of daily living preoperatively, without any abdominal exercises or PEMF. All treatment interventions were applied at a frequency of three sessions per week for six weeks preoperatively. Abdominal muscle torque was measured by a biodex isokinetic dynamometer preoperatively at baseline and after six weeks of intervention and after four months postoperatively.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 25 to 40 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Being subjects of both genders.
• Between the age of 25-40 years.
• Diagnosed with a ventral hernia (Grade II & III) based on surgeon assessment and desired an elective surgical repair.
• Able to act in the abdominal training program.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with a strangulated hernia.
• Bowel obstruction, peritonitis or perforation.
• Urgent surgery indication.
• Less than one-year abdominal surgery.
• Infection (local or systemic).
• Orthopedic problem, or neurological impairment that interfere with patient ability to act in the abdominal training program.
• Pregnant women.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 4 patient groups

Pulsed electromagnetic field and selected graduated abdominal exercises (group A)

Experimental group

Description:

The interventions were done preoperatively, received pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMFT) on abdominal muscles,15 Hz frequency, 20 gauss amplitude with a rectangular waveform, for 20 minutes then they performed the selected graduated abdominal strengthening exercises for 30 minutes, three sessions per week for six weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Graduated abdominal strengthening exercises

Other: Pulsed electromagnetic field

Selected graduated abdominal exercises (group B)

Active Comparator group

Description:

The interventions were done preoperatively, patients performed the selected graduated abdominal strengthening exercises for 30 minutes, three sessions per week for six weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Graduated abdominal strengthening exercises

Pulsed electromagnetic field (group C)

Active Comparator group

Description:

The interventions were done preoperatively, they received pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMFT) on abdominal muscles,15 Hz frequency, 20 gauss amplitude with a rectangular waveform, for 20 minutes only.

Treatment:

Other: Pulsed electromagnetic field

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Patients were instructed to presume in normal activities of daily living preoperatively, without any abdominal exercises or PEMFT.