Prevention of Hand Deformities With Resting Splints

Study July 1991

• This study conducted at the Department of Rheumatology and Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University Hospital, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden, consisted of using nocturnal resting splints on seven patients during a 17-month period. The patients were to pick which hand to wear the splint throughout the night. The splint was worn on the same hand every night and the hand not using the splint served as the control hand to measure progress against. The study showed improvement in the patients' mobility and grip in the splinted hand. The patients also reported significant pain relief in the splinted hand as well. Unfortunately, the patients did not show prevention of the deformity. In both hands, the progression of the deformation of both hands was the same with no difference between the two. The study concluded resting splints do not prevent hand deformities at all.
  
  

Study January 2003

• Yet another clinical study, reported as a Cochrane review abstract and written in plain language by Egan M, ET. Al., Jan. 20, 2003, report almost the same findings as the others. The conclusions of the study indicate there is no difference between working and resting splints and the findings report no difference or improvement in "...pain, grip strength, Ritchie Index, or number of swollen joints.
  
  

Study August 2008

• In another study titled "The Clinical Effectiveness of Static Resting Splints in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial," conducted by J. Adams, Et. al. was originally published online Aug. 18, 2008 and consisted of 120 patients. The patients split into two groups, one using the resting splint plus using Standardized Occupational Therapy, and the other group just attending the Occupational Therapy, the control group. In the conclusion of the trial, the results of only 56 patients of the study group and 60 patients of the control group (97 percent of each group) were recorded because the others decided not to participate. The conclusion of the studies indicated no prevention of deformities noticed, as well as no other significant differences in improvement in either group, including pain relief, grip, and mobility. The final conclusion is the resting splint should not be used for the early treatment and the prevention of deformities of the hand.
  
  

Considerations

• Apparently, most studies agree about the use of resting hand splints for the treatment or prevention of deformities in the hand. As there is no change in the deformity itself and no prevention, the studies all recommend not using them for this purpose. One study, however, did conflict with the others stating there was significant pain relief when the resting hand splint was used and another study stated patients preferred use of a padded wrist splint as opposed to nothing at all.