Percussive vs. Gentle Massage for Recovery After Hip Replacement

Conditions

• Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty
• Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve Injury
• Paresthesia
• Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Not accepted

Interventions

• Percussive Massage Therapy (Toloco or Hyperice Hypervolt GO 2) — DEVICE
  A handheld percussive massage device (30 Hz frequency, medium amplitude, ball-head attachment) is self-applied to the anterior and lateral thigh in slow, overlapping longitudinal strokes, using device weight only with no added downward pressure. Sessions are performed twice daily (morning and evening) for 5 minutes total (2.5 minutes per anatomical zone), beginning postoperative day 1 and continuing through 6 weeks, maintaining a 2-inch exclusion margin from the surgical incision at all times.
• Gentle Manual Massage — OTHER
  Gentle massage is self-applied to the anterior and lateral thigh using the flat palm and fingers of the hand in slow, overlapping longitudinal strokes, using hand weight only with no added pressure. Sessions are performed twice daily (morning and evening) for 5 minutes total (2.5 minutes per anatomical zone), beginning postoperative day 1 and continuing through 6 weeks, maintaining a 2-inch exclusion margin from the surgical incision at all times.

Study Details

Many people who have hip replacement surgery through a "bikini incision" on the front of the hip (anterior approach) develop numbness, tingling, burning, or tightness in the front and side of the thigh afterward. This happens because a small nerve near the incision can get irritated during surgery. For most patients these symptoms fade over time, but for some they can last for months or longer. This study is testing whether a simple, at-home self-care routine can help these symptoms improve faster. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will use a handheld percussive massage device (like a massage gun) on the thigh twice a day, and the other group will do gentle hand massage on the same areas, for the same amount of time, twice a day. Both routines take about 5 minutes and are done every day for 6 weeks after surgery. Neither device use nor massage is applied directly on or near the surgical incision. The researchers want to find out whether the massage device works better than gentle hand massage for improving hip pain and function, reducing numbness and tingling, and improving sleep and comfort during recovery. Participants will complete short questionnaires and daily logs, with follow-up visits at 6 weeks and 3 months after surgery.

Key Dates

First listed

Aug 27, 2026

Start date

Sep 30, 2026

Status verified

Aug 2026

Primary completion

Dec 31, 2026

Completion

Jan 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment

58 participants (estimated)

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Arms

• Active Comparator: Gentle Manual Massage
  Participants self-administer twice-daily gentle flat-palm manual massage to the identical anatomical zones (anterior and lateral thigh) as the PMT arm, using the same treatment zone map, session duration (5 minutes total, 2.5 minutes per zone), frequency, and incision exclusion margin. No device is used - only the flat palm and fingers of the hand.
• Experimental: Percussive Massage Therapy (PMT)
  Participants self-administer twice-daily percussive massage therapy to the anterior and lateral thigh beginning postoperative day 1 and continuing through 6 weeks. Each session lasts 5 minutes total (2.5 minutes per zone) using a study-provided percussive massage device with a ball-head attachment at 30 Hz, medium amplitude, applied with device weight only (no added pressure). A 2-inch exclusion zone is maintained around the incision at all times. The device is returned at the Week 6 visit.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in Oxford Hip Score (OHS) from Baseline to Week 6 [ Time Frame: Baseline (pre-operative) and Week 6 postoperatively ]

Central Contacts

• Brandon H Naylor, DO
  404-851-2300
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

Find similar trials in Cumming, GA

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