RESEARCH - Working splints helpful in wrist arthritis

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Working Splints Helpful in Wrist Arthritis

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 16 - Wrist working splints, which allow

movement of the finger and thumb joints and thus performance of

routine activities, lead to a considerable reduction in pain in

patients with wrist arthritis, Dutch researchers report in the

December issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism.

As lead investigator Dr. e M. Veehof told Reuters Health, " This

is the first randomized, controlled trial that reveals evidence that

wrist working splints are effective in reducing wrist pain. "

Dr. Veehof of the University of Twente, Enschede, and colleagues, who

point out that about 75% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have

wrist arthritis, evaluated the efficacy of the splinting approach in

33 patients.

Seventeen were randomized to use a prefabricated wrist working splint

and 16 to a control group. The splinting patients were instructed to

use the splint as much as possible during the day.

After 4 weeks, there was a highly significant 32% decrease in visual

analogue pain scores in the treatment group. Scores rose by 17% in

controls.

Mean grip strength scores increased by 5% in the splinting group and

fell by 8% in the control group. However, these and other functional

ability outcomes were not significantly different between the groups.

Commenting on the findings, Dr. Veehof concluded that the intervention

" is beneficial for patients with wrist arthritis and may help

clinicians and health professionals in their decision whether or not

to prescribe wrist working splints. "

Arthritis Rheum 2008;59:1698-1704.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/585409

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