Early exercise in blunt chest wall trauma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
EarLy Exercise in blunt Chest wall Trauma: a feasibility trial (ELECT Trial)
IRAS ID
265139
Contact name
Ceri Battle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea Bay University Health Board
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN16197429
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Longer-term complications in adult blunt chest wall trauma have been investigated and in a small study conducted by this research team, chronic pain was reported in 35% patients with a median pain severity score of 6 out of 10 (IQR: 3–7). What remains unknown in blunt chest trauma literature, is the best management for addressing the longer-term complications, specifically chronic pain and disability. The overall aim of this phase of work, is to assess whether a trial is feasible, investigating the effect of early thoracic and shoulder girdle exercises on chronic pain in blunt chest wall trauma patients, when compared to normal care (where normal care traditionally involves chest physiotherapy techniques such as breathing exercises and early mobilisation / walking and no thoracic / shoulder girdle exercises). This feasibility study will be completed as a single centre, randomised controlled trial, in which we will test the methods of the future definitive RCT. This work will support the key objective of the Welsh Government’s plan for “A Healthier Wales”, which states that we want services which support people to stay well, not just treat them when they become ill. If the trial is successful and early exercise is shown to be beneficial in reducing chronic pain in this large patient cohort, then the programme can be shared throughout Wales using the newly established Welsh Trauma Network (which aims to share good practice across the country ensuring that we identify and support the best new models of health and social care so they scale up more quickly to the whole of Wales, as set out in the Healthier Wales plan) .
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
19/WA/0144
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion