An interventional study of Percussive Massage Therapy (Toloco or Hyperice Hypervolt GO 2) and Gentle Manual Massage in Paresthesia, Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) and Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty, sponsored by Zachary M Ricciardelli. Enrolling by invitation at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-14.
Sponsored by Zachary M Ricciardelli · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
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.
66 studies on the registry are indexed under Paresthesia; 14 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 58 is above the median of 48 across 52 interventional studies indexed under Paresthesia.
Browse Paresthesia studies →This is the only study on the registry with Zachary M Ricciardelli as lead sponsor.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
Other: Gentle Manual Massage
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.
Device: Percussive Massage Therapy (Toloco or Hyperice Hypervolt GO 2)
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.
Also known as: Massage gun therapy, vibration percussion therapy
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.
Change in Oxford Hip Score (OHS) from Baseline to Week 6
The OHS is a 12-item, hip-specific patient-reported outcome measure assessing pain and function, including pain at rest and with activity, walking distance, and ability to perform activities of daily living. Each item is scored 0-4; total scores range from 0 (worst) to 48 (best), with higher scores indicating better hip function and less pain. Between-group difference at Week 6 will be adjusted for baseline score, sex, and BMI category.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-operative) and Week 6 postoperatively
Change in Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) from Baseline to Week 6 and Month 3
Joint awareness during daily and recreational activities, measured by the Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12). Scores are normalized from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater joint unawareness (a better outcome). Compared between the percussive massage therapy (PMT) and manual massage groups.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, Month 3
Change in Numeric Rating Pain Scale (NRPS) Score
Anterior thigh pain intensity measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NRPS), an 11-point scale ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse (greater) pain. Compared between the PMT and manual massage groups.
Time frame: Postoperative Day 1, Postoperative Day 14, Week 6, Month 3
Paresthesia Severity Scale (PSS)
Anterior thigh paresthesia burden measured by the Paresthesia Severity Scale (PSS), a composite of two 0-10 subscales (severity and frequency of numbness, tingling, and burning), for a total range of 0 to 20. Higher scores indicate worse (greater) paresthesia burden. Compared between the PMT and manual massage groups.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, Month 3, Year 1
Numbness Body Diagram (Percent Thigh Area Affected)
Distribution and resolution of anterior thigh numbness, mapped on a standardized body diagram and digitized to yield the percent of total anterior thigh surface area affected, ranging from 0% to 100%. Higher percentages indicate worse (more extensive) numbness. Compared between the PMT and manual massage groups.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, Month 3, Year 1
Anterior Thigh Stiffness (Visual Analog Scale, VAS)
Anterior thigh stiffness measured by a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS), ranging from 0 to 10, with higher values indication worse/more stiffness.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, Month 3, Year 1
PROMIS Sleep Disturbance - Short Form 8a
Sleep disturbance measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance Short Form 8a, an 8-item instrument scored as a T-score (population mean 50, SD 10), with higher scores indicating greater sleep disturbance (a worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, Month 3, Year 1
PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.
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