Hand Therapy最新文献

Introduction: Hand pain and function limitations are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA). Provision of arthritis (compression) gloves to relieve hand symptoms is increasing in occupational therapy. Research evaluating arthritis gloves dates to the 1990s, focussing on night-wear of full-length finger gloves in RA. This survey examined glove provision in contemporary clinical practice in the United Kingdom.

Methods: A survey of arthritis glove provision in RA was conducted with Royal College of Occupational Therapists Rheumatology Specialist Section members. A more detailed survey about glove provision in RA and HOA was conducted with rheumatology occupational therapists in North-West England.

Results: Response rates were good, with 60 (73%) therapists responding to the national and 24 (69%) to the regional surveys. Most therapists provided open-finger gloves (commonly Isotoner^TM) to about a third of their RA and HOA patients, and to those with any arthritic condition causing significant hand pain and/or swelling. Day-wear was as common as night-wear, and patients were advised to wear these 'as and when' for hand symptom relief and support for hand function. They were advised not to wear gloves continually in the day, and regularly perform hand exercises and monitor for potential adverse effects, for example, skin discolouration. Therapists commonly provide replacement gloves as these are often used long-term.

Conclusion: Prescription of arthritis gloves has changed considerably in the last 30 years, with open-finger gloves provided to a wider range of people with arthritis, for a broader range of clinical reasons.

Introduction: Involvement of the palmar skin is often seen in patients with Dupuytren's disease (DD) with severe finger contractures. However, skin elasticity may be already decreased earlier in the disease. The Cutometer MPA 580 could provide an objective skin measurement tool to assess this decrease in elasticity. Linking objective skin measurements to functional outcome measures could lead to better prediction of disease progression. We set up a study to investigate if the Cutometer was able to detect differences in skin elasticity between patients with mild Dupuytren's disease and healthy controls.

Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was performed. Three assessors measured skin elasticity (palmar hand) on two sites using the Cutometer on 30 patients with mild DD and 30 healthy controls. Student's t-test was used to evaluate differences in skin elasticity and a linear model to evaluate interactions between the groups and sites.

Results: Significant differences in skin elasticity were found between DD patients and controls, as well as differences based on the location examined.

Discussion: Similar to other skin conditions, the Cutometer MPA 580 was able to demonstrate a significant lower elasticity in the palmar skin in DD patients compared to healthy controls. A decrease in skin elasticity in different locations of the hand correlated with areas that often pose problems in the treatment of more severe DD. The Cutometer could potentially be a tool to identify these areas earlier in the disease.

Introduction: Many different types of proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint extension orthoses exist, yet evidence guiding orthosis choice is largely theoretical. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of three different PIP joint extension orthoses, over 4 weeks of treatment. Secondly, we aimed to explore the relationship between an abbreviated version of the Weeks test (WT) assessment of joint stiffness, and treatment outcome. Lastly, we wished to better understand participants' satisfaction with orthotic treatment.

Methods: Using a randomised comparative study design, 61 participants were allocated to a serial static, dynamic or static progressive orthosis, 50 had follow-up data. Blinded assessment of function was completed before and after 4 weeks of orthotic intervention and a standardised therapy program. Participants were blinded to alternative groups.

Results: Baseline active PIP extension ranged from 14° to 65°. The average improvement in active PIP extension was -9.1° (95% CI -11.0°, -7.1°). There were no statistically significant differences in outcome between the three orthoses groups. However, a trend was observed with greater improvement in active extension for those in the dynamic Capener (-11.5°) compared to the static progressive belly gutter (-7.3°) or serial cast (-8.7°) groups, with less total end range time required. The abbreviated WT was significantly associated with improvement in active extension (p = 0.001). Participants reported a high degree of satisfaction with their orthosis regardless of type.

Conclusions: No single orthosis demonstrated statistically greater effectiveness, although the dynamic Capener orthosis appeared more efficient. The abbreviated WT is associated with treatment outcome.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/1758998320957373.].