Gentle rehab boost: blood flow cuffs may speed hip fracture recovery in seniors
NCT ID NCT04809714
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study tests whether adding blood flow restriction therapy to standard physical therapy helps elderly patients (65 and older) recover muscle strength and size after hip fracture surgery. Twenty participants will have their thigh and leg measurements, muscle strength, pain, and function tracked. The goal is to see if this simple technique can improve recovery without extra risk.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2022
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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65 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age \>= 65 years old, any sex, any ethnicity * Isolated, closed proximal femur fracture without any prior surgery or orthopedic implants to affected proximal femur. This includes all fractures with primary fracture line that is proximal to the lesser trochanter. For example, subtrochanteric femur fractures are excluded whereas reverse obliquity intertrochanteric femur fractures may be included. * OTA codes 31A, 31B, and 31C * Segmental and pathologic femur fractures are excluded. * Ambulatory without assistive device prior to injury * Community living prior to injury * No injury or surgery to the contralateral lower extremity within past 1 year * Alert and oriented and able to provide informed consent for self * English speaking * Able to weight bear as tolerated after surgery as deemed by treating orthopedic surgeon * Able to tolerate light exercise (could walk approximately 0.5 mile without significant pain or shortness of breath) preoperatively as determined by patient self-reported history Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of other significant injuries at the time of injury to the proximal femur that would require additional surgery * Significant delay in presentation to health care facility (\>3 days from time of injury) for assessment and treatment of the proximal femur fracture * History of DVT in any extremity, existing DVT in any extremity, or any condition known to increase risk for coagulopathy including but not exclusively current pregnancy, current diagnosis of cancer/cancer that is being treated * Current use of any medication or supplement that may increase blood clotting risk * History of: sickle cell anemia, peripheral arterial disease, dementia, actively treated cancer * Varicose veins in either lower extremity * Any significant medical condition that would preclude ability to bear weight as tolerated postoperatively * Significant cardiac disease as defined by recent stent placement in the past year or presence of implantable pacemaker device * Morbid obesity (BMI \>40) * Prior surgery to either lower extremity within one year * Prior surgery or injury to either lower extremity that would preclude application of a tourniquet and includes but not exclusively: skin grafting, vascular bypass grafting, dialysis site, chronic wound, lymphotomies, varicose vein surgery, presence of tumor) * Soft tissue injury to either lower extremity that precludes placement of tourniquet * Diagnosis of uncontrolled hypertension (BP greater than 180/110 on at least two measurements as measured during inpatient stay before surgery) * Patients with potentially severe problems with maintaining follow-up (ex. Patients who are prisoners, homeless at time of injury, severe dementia, intellectually challenged without adequate family support or have documented significant psychiatric disorder) * COVID-19 positive * Admission to ICU postoperatively * Inadequate postop x-rays placing patient at high risk of implant-related failure
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, 35223, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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