Use of a Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief Kit to Reduce Opioid Use Following Orthopedic Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Study.
Denis J O'Hara, Timothy F Tyler, Malachy P McHugh and 2 others
PMID 35949389WHAT IT FOUND
Adding a home pain kit with ice, heat, tape, and bands to standard physical therapy did not reduce opioid use or pain compared to physical therapy alone.
Patients in both groups improved similarly over four weeks. The study was underpowered due to low overall opioid consumption.
Key findings
01There was no significant difference in total opioid use between the pain relief kit group and the control group over four weeks.
02Pain scores and functional outcomes improved similarly in both groups, with no significant difference between the pain relief kit and control.
03Compliance with the kit varied, with elastic resistance exercises being used most frequently and kinesiology tape least frequently.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study was underpowered due to much lower than expected opioid use, especially in patients with procedures other than total joint arthroplasty. The treatment group was significantly younger than the control group, which may influence pain perception and opioid use. Compliance with the kit components varied widely, making it difficult to isolate the effect of specific interventions. The intervention started 8±6 days after surgery, potentially missing the period of highest opioid use. The sample included a mix of upper and lower extremity procedures, which may have different pain trajectories.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources were reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that these non-pharmacological interventions are ineffective for pain. The study was underpowered because most patients used little to no opioids, and all patients received physical therapy. The null result likely reflects a ceiling effect where standard care was already sufficient, rather than proof that the kit components do not work in higher-risk populations.