NCT05011084

Brief Summary

Cryotherapy has been used to enhance recovery after orthopaedic surgery. Many devices are available but few can guarantee a temperature regulation during a prolonged time and therefore have been criticized. The arrival of new advanced cryotherapy devices made it possible to test the effect of prolonged cooling on rehabilitation after arthroscopic orthopaedic procedures.

Trial Health

75
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
348

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
3mo left

Started Nov 2020

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress96%
Nov 2020Jul 2026

Study Start

First participant enrolled

November 2, 2020

Completed
8 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 12, 2021

Completed
1 month until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 18, 2021

Completed
4.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

July 28, 2026

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

July 28, 2026

Last Updated

October 3, 2025

Status Verified

September 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

5.7 years

First QC Date

July 12, 2021

Last Update Submit

September 29, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

Postoperative Pain ManagementOpioid EpidemicCryotherapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (16)

  • Change in the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) before and after each cryotherapy session

    Quick survey to assess pain level in the moment before and after each cryotherapy session. The DVPRS consists of a basic traffic-light color code. Green represents mild pain with a scale ranging from 0-4; yellow represents moderate pain with a scale ranging from 5-6, and red represents severe pain with a scale ranging from 7-10. The DVPRS also includes an additional visual tool: facial expressions that correspond with each number. The faces range from a full happy face representing a pain level of zero to a grimacing face representing a pain level of 10.

    Post-operative days 1-14

  • Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) at wake up

    Quick survey to assess pain level in the moment at the time of wake up. The DVPRS consists of a basic traffic-light color code. Green represents mild pain with a scale ranging from 0-4; yellow represents moderate pain with a scale ranging from 5-6, and red represents severe pain with a scale ranging from 7-10. The DVPRS also includes an additional visual tool: facial expressions that correspond with each number. The faces range from a full happy face representing a pain level of zero to a grimacing face representing a pain level of 10.

    Post-operative days 1-14

  • Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) right before bed time

    Quick survey to assess pain level in the moment at the time right before going to sleep. The DVPRS consists of a basic traffic-light color code. Green represents mild pain with a scale ranging from 0-4; yellow represents moderate pain with a scale ranging from 5-6, and red represents severe pain with a scale ranging from 7-10. The DVPRS also includes an additional visual tool: facial expressions that correspond with each number. The faces range from a full happy face representing a pain level of zero to a grimacing face representing a pain level of 10.

    Post-operative days 1-14

  • Cryotherapy Device Usage

    Patients will maintain a Daily Therapy Log to document their usage of the assigned cryotherapy device.

    Post-operative days 1-14

  • Medication Consumption

    Patients will maintain a daily Medication Log to record their consumption of pain medications.

    Post-operative days 1-14

  • Demographics Survey

    Prior to undergoing their arthroscopy, participants will complete a brief Demographics survey, which asks relevant medical and service history and demographic questions including: sex, race/ethnicity, year of birth, marital status, military affiliation, branch of service, military rank, occupational specialty, and employment status.

    Pre-operation (baseline)

  • Change in the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) from before surgery to after surgery

    The SANE score is a validated patient reported outcome measure. It is a single question score that asks, "how would you rate your condition today as a percentage of normal (0% to 100% scale with 100% being normal)?" The SANE score is collected as standard of care.

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) from before surgery to after surgery

    The DVPRS consists of a basic traffic-light color code. Green represents mild pain with a scale ranging from 0-4; yellow represents moderate pain with a scale ranging from 5-6, and red represents severe pain with a scale ranging from 7-10. The DVPRS also includes an additional visual tool: facial expressions that correspond with each number. The faces range from a full happy face representing a pain level of zero to a grimacing face representing a pain level of 10. Four supplemental questions are included in the DVPRS to help identify how pain affects an individual's lifestyle. These questions also include a numerical scale that ranges from zero to 10 for each question. The four supplemental questions ask about pain pertaining to: daily activity during the past 24 hours, mood during the past 24 hours, sleep during the past 24 hours, stress during the past 24 hours

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) from before surgery to after surgery

    This patient reported outcome measures the outcome of patients with musculoskeletal disorders by assessing physical function through a grading scale of activities of daily living

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference (PI) from before surgery to after surgery

    This patient reported outcome measures the extent to which pain hinders an individual's engagement with physical, mental, cognitive, emotional, recreational, and social activities

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression (DEP) from before surgery to after surgery

    This patient reported outcome focuses on affective and cognitive manifestations of depression rather than somatic symptoms such as appetite, fatigue and sleep

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety (ANX) from before surgery to after surgery

    This patient reported outcome focuses on fear (e.g., worry, feelings of panic), anxious misery (e.g., dread), hyperarousal (e.g., tension, nervousness, restlessness), and somatic symptoms related to arousal (e.g., cardiovascular symptoms, dizziness)

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Interference (SI) from before surgery to after surgery

    This patient reported outcome measures self-reported alertness, sleepiness, tiredness, and functional impairments associated with sleep problems during waking hours within the past seven days

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Form (ASES) from before surgery to after surgery

    The ASES is a 100-point scale that consists of two dimensions: pain and activities of daily living. There is one pain scale worth 50 points and ten activities of daily living worth 50 points

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) from before surgery to after surgery

    The IKDC Questionnaire is a subjective scale that provides patients with an overall function score. The questionnaire looks at 3 categories: symptoms, sports activity, and knee function. The symptoms subscale helps to evaluate things such as pain, stiffness, swelling and giving-way of the knee

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

  • Change in the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) from before surgery to after surgery

    The hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS) is a questionnaire intended to be used to assess the patient's opinion about their hip and associated problems and to evaluate symptoms and functional limitations related to the hip during a therapeutic process

    Pre-operation (baseline) and then post-operation at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

Study Arms (2)

Game Ready Cryotherapy with Compression Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Post-operative treatment will involve using a Game Ready ® unit

Device: Game Ready Cryotherapy with Compression Group

Control Cryotherapy Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Post-operative treatment will involve using the standard of care cryotherapy (i.e., traditional ice packs without compression).

Other: Control Cryotherapy Group

Interventions

Instead of using the traditional ice-pack cryotherapy (without compression), patients randomized into this group will use the Game Ready device, which uses cryotherapy with compression, during their post-operative treatment care.

Game Ready Cryotherapy with Compression Group

Patients randomized to the control group will use the standard of care, which is using traditional cryotherapy (i.e., an ice pack without compression)

Control Cryotherapy Group

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Adult (18 years of age or older)
  • Eligible for DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System - A system that enables uniformed service members \& family members to receive health care through TRICARE)
  • Fluent in speaking, reading, and understanding English
  • Scheduled to receive one of the following procedures: Knee arthroscopy, Shoulder arthroscopy, or Hip arthroscopy

You may not qualify if:

  • Unable to understand and/or provide written informed consent
  • Presence of concurrent additional injuries (e.g., both a knee and hip injury). Participants can only have one injury

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20889, United States

Location

Related Publications (17)

  • Barber FA, McGuire DA, Click S. Continuous-flow cold therapy for outpatient anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Arthroscopy. 1998 Mar;14(2):130-5. doi: 10.1016/s0749-8063(98)70030-1.

    PMID: 9531122BACKGROUND
  • Chakravarthy B, Shah S, Lotfipour S. Prescription drug monitoring programs and other interventions to combat prescription opioid abuse. West J Emerg Med. 2012 Nov;13(5):422-5. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2012.7.12936.

    PMID: 23357954BACKGROUND
  • Kuehn BM. Opioid prescriptions soar: increase in legitimate use as well as abuse. JAMA. 2007 Jan 17;297(3):249-51. doi: 10.1001/jama.297.3.249. No abstract available.

    PMID: 17227967BACKGROUND
  • Kumar K, Gulotta LV, Dines JS, Allen AA, Cheng J, Fields KG, YaDeau JT, Wu CL. Unused Opioid Pills After Outpatient Shoulder Surgeries Given Current Perioperative Prescribing Habits. Am J Sports Med. 2017 Mar;45(3):636-641. doi: 10.1177/0363546517693665. Epub 2017 Feb 9.

    PMID: 28182507BACKGROUND
  • Manchikanti L, Helm S 2nd, Fellows B, Janata JW, Pampati V, Grider JS, Boswell MV. Opioid epidemic in the United States. Pain Physician. 2012 Jul;15(3 Suppl):ES9-38.

    PMID: 22786464BACKGROUND
  • Morsi E. Continuous-flow cold therapy after total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2002 Sep;17(6):718-22. doi: 10.1054/arth.2002.33562.

    PMID: 12216025BACKGROUND
  • Nelson AD, Camilleri M. Chronic opioid induced constipation in patients with nonmalignant pain: challenges and opportunities. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015 Jul;8(4):206-20. doi: 10.1177/1756283X15578608.

    PMID: 26136838BACKGROUND
  • Raynor MC, Pietrobon R, Guller U, Higgins LD. Cryotherapy after ACL reconstruction: a meta-analysis. J Knee Surg. 2005 Apr;18(2):123-9. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1248169.

    PMID: 15915833BACKGROUND
  • Schoenfeld AJ, Belmont PJ Jr, Blucher JA, Jiang W, Chaudhary MA, Koehlmoos T, Kang JD, Haider AH. Sustained Preoperative Opioid Use Is a Predictor of Continued Use Following Spine Surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018 Jun 6;100(11):914-921. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.17.00862.

    PMID: 29870441BACKGROUND
  • Scully RE, Schoenfeld AJ, Jiang W, Lipsitz S, Chaudhary MA, Learn PA, Koehlmoos T, Haider AH, Nguyen LL. Defining Optimal Length of Opioid Pain Medication Prescription After Common Surgical Procedures. JAMA Surg. 2018 Jan 1;153(1):37-43. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.3132.

    PMID: 28973092BACKGROUND
  • Syed UAM, Aleem AW, Wowkanech C, Weekes D, Freedman M, Tjoumakaris F, Abboud JA, Austin LS. Neer Award 2018: the effect of preoperative education on opioid consumption in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a prospective, randomized clinical trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2018 Jun;27(6):962-967. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2018.02.039. Epub 2018 Mar 26.

    PMID: 29599038BACKGROUND
  • Kraeutler MJ, Reynolds KA, Long C, McCarty EC. Compressive cryotherapy versus ice-a prospective, randomized study on postoperative pain in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair or subacromial decompression. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2015 Jun;24(6):854-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2015.02.004. Epub 2015 Mar 29.

    PMID: 25825138BACKGROUND
  • Alfuth M, Strietzel M, Vogler T, Rosenbaum D, Liem D. Cold versus cold compression therapy after shoulder arthroscopy: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2016 Jul;24(7):2209-15. doi: 10.1007/s00167-015-3534-7. Epub 2015 Feb 13.

    PMID: 25677503BACKGROUND
  • Algafly AA, George KP. The effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and pain tolerance. Br J Sports Med. 2007 Jun;41(6):365-9; discussion 369. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.031237. Epub 2007 Jan 15.

    PMID: 17224445BACKGROUND
  • Kullenberg B, Ylipaa S, Soderlund K, Resch S. Postoperative cryotherapy after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective study of 86 patients. J Arthroplasty. 2006 Dec;21(8):1175-9. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2006.02.159.

    PMID: 17162178BACKGROUND
  • Adie S, Naylor JM, Harris IA. Cryotherapy after total knee arthroplasty a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Arthroplasty. 2010 Aug;25(5):709-15. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2009.07.010. Epub 2009 Sep 2.

    PMID: 19729279BACKGROUND
  • Barry S, Wallace L, Lamb S. Cryotherapy after total knee replacement: a survey of current practice. Physiother Res Int. 2003;8(3):111-20. doi: 10.1002/pri.279.

    PMID: 14533367BACKGROUND

Study Officials

  • Ashley B Bozzay, MD

    Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
FED
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 12, 2021

First Posted

August 18, 2021

Study Start

November 2, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 28, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 28, 2026

Last Updated

October 3, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Individual level data will not be shared with anyone. Only aggregate results will be shared publicly.

Locations