The IMPACT Study: Personalized Physical Therapy for Better Recovery and a Stronger Core After Hernia Surgery.

Launched by THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY ·

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called the IMPACT Study, is looking at whether a personalized physical therapy program can help people recover better after surgery to fix a ventral hernia, which is a type of hernia in the abdominal area. The study focuses on adults aged 18 to 75 who have a hernia between 4 and 10 centimeters in size and are scheduled for planned hernia repair surgery. Researchers want to see if tailored physical therapy can improve core strength, stability, and movement more than the usual care patients receive, as well as if it can reduce pain, improve quality of life, and lower the chance of complications like bowel problems over the year following surgery. They are also interested in whether this approach might save costs by reducing the need for extra healthcare.

If you join the study, you will be randomly placed into one of two groups. One group will get the usual care, which includes standard advice on things like wearing a support binder, safe lifting, and slowly returning to normal activities after surgery. The other group will start with the usual care for the first two weeks but then receive six personalized physical therapy sessions over the next ten weeks. These sessions will be adjusted based on how you’re doing, focusing on improving your symptoms, movement, and overall function. The study will check your progress at two weeks, three months, and one year after surgery through physical tests, questionnaires, and interviews to understand your recovery experience. This study is not yet recruiting participants but aims to help find better ways to support hernia recovery in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria