Effect of Hand Static Rest Splint on Reducing the Pain and other Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Hand Static Rest Splint on reducing the pain and other compliance of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
In the present clinical trial, 12 patients, aged 35-50 (average: 39 years) with RA, referring to the Occupational Therapy Unit of Taleghani hospital and meeting America College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria, were included. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was administered and swelling, tenderness and morning stiffness were assessed. Moreover, assessments of active range of motion using goniometry and grip strength with Jamar dynamometer in both hands were performed. Statistical analysis of data was performed using t-test and Mann-Whitney Test for two independent samples and willcoxon tests and paired t-test for paired samples run in SPSS, version 18. The level of significance was set at p˂0.05.
The findings showed that the Static Rest Splint led to improvement in the wrist range of motion (flexion p=0/005, extension p=0/03) when the two groups were compared, but it did not have a significant effect on Morning Stiffness (p=1), pain (p=0/1), Swelling (p=0/06), and Tenderness (p=0/2). However, when compared between after and before intervention in hand with splint, pain (p=0/02) and wrist range of motion (p=0/004) improved.
Based on the findings of the current study, and since using splints only improve range of motion in the wrist compared between two groups and pain relief before and after the intervention, it seems that using hand Static Rest Splint to reduce other symptoms need further investigation and also given that the use of this position without stress on the tendon can be effective in reducing the causes deformity, further studies are needed to more delineate these points.