Effect of a Fascial Therapy Treatment on Quality of Life in Patients With Hemophilic Elbow Arthropathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 103; no. 5; pp. 867 - 874
• Main Authors: Cuesta-Barriuso, Rubén, Meroño-Gallut, Javier, Donoso-Úbeda, Elena, López-Pina, José Antonio, Pérez-Llanes, Raúl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Elbow; Elbow Joint; Hemarthrosis - complications; Hemarthrosis - therapy; Hemophilia; Hemophilia A - complications; Humans; Joint pain; Physiotherapy techniques; Quality of Life; Randomized controlled trial; Rehabilitation; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome; Rehabilitation; Joint pain; Randomized controlled trial; Hemophilia; Physiotherapy techniques; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.12.023

•Hemophilic arthropathy is characterized by chronic pain and joint deterioration.•Patients with hemophilia have a poorer quality of life than their peers without hemophilia.•Physiotherapy treatment can improve the quality of life of patients with hemophilic elbow arthropathy.•Manual therapy protocols can improve joint pain and joint health in patients with hemophilia. To evaluate the effect of fascial therapy on the perceived quality of life, pain intensity, and joint health in people with hemophilia. Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Hemophilia Patient Associations. Patients with hemophilia (N=69) were randomly allocated to an experimental group (fascial therapy protocol) or to a control group (no intervention whatsoever). The fascial therapy intervention lasted 3 consecutive weeks with one 45-minute weekly session. The variables evaluated were perceived quality of life (Short Form Health Survey-36), pain intensity (visual analog scale) and joint health (Hemophilia Joint Health Score) at baseline and at 3 and 12 weeks. The mean values of the physical (38.64±9.41 and 41.92±12.16) and mental (45.77±6.25 and 55.02±9.73) components of the Short Form Health Survey-36 improved after the intervention in the experimental group, as well as those for pain intensity and joint health (P<.001). There were differences (P<.001) in the intergroup effect in the physical role variables (F=49.22), emotional role (F=229.71), mental component (F=9.86), intensity of pain (F=24.74), and joint health (F=55.31). A fascial therapy protocol for patients with hemophilic elbow arthropathy can improve their perceived quality of life. Elbow pain intensity improved in patients treated with fascial therapy. This technique can improve elbow joint health.