Reduced pain and improved daily activities for individuals with hand osteoarthritis using a silicone wrist hand orthosis.

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of hand osteoarthritis (OA), such as pain, reduced grip strength, loss of range of motion (ROM) and joint stiffness, can lead to impaired hand function and difficulty with daily activities. Rehabilitative interventions with orthoses are commonly in the treatment of hand OA to reduce pain, improve hand strength and ROM, provide support for improved function and help with joint stability. PURPOSE: The objectives of this perception-based study were to evaluate the effect of a silicone wrist hand orthoses (SWHO) on pain and daily functioning. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a qualitative descriptive study. The patient received outcome (PRO) questions in the study were based on the Patient Rated Wrist and/or Hand Evaluation (PRWHE), a 15-item questionnaire designed to measure wrist pain and disability in activities of daily living. METHODS: Patients with OA using a SWHO were asked to complete a questionnaire about the effectiveness of the brace after wearing it for 3 weeks. Primary outcome measure was general daily functioning with and without the use of the SWHO. Secondary outcome measures were change in pain symptoms and limitations for certain activities with and without the aid. RESULTS: The results of this large-scale PROM study of 551 patients on the effectiveness of SWHOs in patients with hand OA show an improvement in overall daily functioning of 77% and a 61% reduction in perceived pain. This study adds to the evidence reported by systematic reviews of conservative interventions for hand OA and further quantifies the effects of a tailor made SWHO. This study confirms that wearing a wrist orthosis has a particularly significant impact on the execution of static and repetitive wrist-straining activities. CONCLUSION: The study on the effectiveness of a SWHO in patients with hand OA shows that the use of a SWHO contributes to general daily function, reduces pain and increases the breadth of potential daily activities. This study shows that the use of a SWHO appears to offer pain relief and suitable support to the joint.

EFFECTS OF A SEMI-RIGID KNEE BRACE ON MOBILITY AND PAIN IN PEOPLE WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS.

Objective: Osteoarthritis is one of the most common chronic conditions leading to disability among older people (age 60+ years). Knee osteoarthritis has a significant impact on daily functioning. Pain, stiffness, reduced strength, changes in posture, and reduced knee stability may result in reduced mobility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of conservative therapeutic use of a semi-rigid knee brace for management of patients with knee osteoarthritis, using patient-reported outcomes. Design: Patients with osteoarthritis using a semi-rigid knee brace were asked to complete a questionnaire about the effectiveness of the brace after wearing it for 3 weeks. The primary outcome measure was mobility, assessed using an ordinal scale with and without use of the knee brace. Secondary outcome measures were pain symptoms and overall daily functioning. Results: A total of 381 patients completed the questionnaire. The results show considerably improved mobility while using a knee brace in different mobility groups. In the group of respondents who were limited to their home environment mobility decreased by 74% while using a knee brace. In the group of respondents who were able to walk to a nearby shop mobility increased by 50%, and the group experiencing no mobility restrictions increased from 3% without using a knee brace to 13% while using a knee brace. In addition, 54% of respondents reported a reduction in pain symptoms and 62% of respondents reported an improvement in overall daily functioning while using a knee brace. Conclusion: The results of this large-scale patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) study show that the use of a semi-rigid knee brace appears to provide suitable joint support, offering pain relief and freedom of movement and should be considered a useful non-surgical treatment method for use in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Clinical trial: This study does not include a clinical trial.

PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FOR USE OF SILVERSPLINTS IN OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE HAND.

Pain, stiffness and joint deformity can result in significantly reduced hand function in people with osteoarthritis. Characteristic finger deformities in osteoarthritis are swan neck deformity and boutonnière deformity. Several studies have reported that an orthosis decreases pain and increases function during daily activities for patients with arthritis. The aim of this study was to review patient-reported outcomes of current conservative therapeutic management with silver ring splints (silversplints) for patients with osteoarthritis of the hand. There was a 76% improvement in overall daily functioning and a 74% reduction in pain. Several questions concerned daily activities with different types of hand function and with different types of grip and use of fingers. The results show a major improvement in both the more open grip of the hand and activities requiring fine motor skills. The ability to use force with the hand, even when wearing an orthosis, is an important result. Patients who experienced "no problems or minor problems" had significantly increased functioning in several activities of daily living, but the largest improvement in functioning was seen in "household chores" (243%), "opening jars" (150%) and "lifting groceries" (143%). Overall, silversplints appear to serve as a suitable support for the joints in osteoarthritis of the hand, providing pain relief by preventing the joint from moving through its full range of motion. Use of silversplints to treat patients with osteoarthritis of the hand should be considered as a useful, non-surgical method.