Combined Cryotherapy With Compression Versus Cryotherapy Alone After Orthopaedic Surgery
Randomized Control Trial of Combined Cryotherapy With Compression Versus Cryotherapy Alone After Orthopaedic Surgery
1 other identifier
interventional
348
1 country
1
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
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Nov 2020
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
1 active site
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 Start
First participant enrolled
November 2, 2020
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 12, 2021
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
August 18, 2021
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
July 28, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
July 28, 2026
October 3, 2025
September 1, 2025
5.7 years
July 12, 2021
September 29, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
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
EXPERIMENTALPost-operative treatment will involve using a Game Ready ® unit
Control Cryotherapy Group
ACTIVE COMPARATORPost-operative treatment will involve using the standard of care cryotherapy (i.e., traditional ice packs without compression).
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.
Patients randomized to the control group will use the standard of care, which is using traditional cryotherapy (i.e., an ice pack without compression)
Eligibility Criteria
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
Related Publications (17)
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PMID: 26136838BACKGROUNDRaynor 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: 15915833BACKGROUNDSchoenfeld 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: 29870441BACKGROUNDScully 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.
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PMID: 29599038BACKGROUNDKraeutler 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: 25825138BACKGROUNDAlfuth 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: 25677503BACKGROUNDAlgafly 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.
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PMID: 14533367BACKGROUND
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Ashley B Bozzay, MD
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
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.