Effects of a Neuromuscular Exercise Therapy Program for Treatment of Wrist Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT05367817 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2019-02437; 2020-03807
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 48
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Individuals with wrist osteoarthritis (OA) can suffer from pain, muscular weakness, and impaired motion of the wrist, which can reduce the quality of life. While there is strong evidence that all patients with OA should receive first-line treatment with education and exercises, this approach has not yet been proposed for individuals with wrist OA. Therefore, this trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a first line neuromuscular joint protective exercise therapy program compared to a training program with range of motion (ROM) exercises in patients with wrist OA.

Conditions

Osteoarthritis Wrist

Keywords

Wrist Osteoarthritis, SLAC, SNAC, exercise therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change from baseline in pain and function on the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) at 3, 6 and 12 months.

  The PRWE is a self-reported questionnaire that includes 15 questions, divided into two subscales assessing pain (5 items) and function (10 items, 6 concerning specific tasks and 4 the ability to perform daily activities) over the past week. The questions are scored on a 10-point ordered categorical scale, ranging from no pain or no difficulty (0 points), to worst pain or unable to do (10 points). The total score of the subscales pain (sum of 5 items) and function (sum of 10 items divided by 2) ranges from 0 to 50. The maximum total score of PRWE is 100 and represents the worst disability, whereas 0 represents no disability.

  Baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months

Study Arms (2)

Exercise therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

The program consists of two parts. The first part of the program contains unloaded active ROM exercises for the wrist in flexion/extension, radial-/ulnardeviation and pronation/supination. The second part of the program consists of three neuromuscular exercises that focus on coordination, wrist stability and strength. The participants will perform the program twice a day for 12 weeks.

Other: Neuromuscular exercise therapy

Training program

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The training program for the control group will consist of ROM exercises only that will be also be performed twice a day for 12 weeks.

Other: Training program

Interventions

Neuromuscular exercise therapy OTHER

Participants perform specific neuromuscular exercises aimed at enhancing the sensorimotor control of the wrist.

Exercise therapy

Training program OTHER

Participants perform range of motion exercises for the wrist.

Training program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Radiographically confirmed and symptomatic wrist OA - SLAC and SNAC stage 1-3
• Age≥18

You may not qualify if:

• The presence of other diseases or disorders that could affect arm and hand function
• Previous surgery to the wrist
• Intraarticular wrist cortisone injection within the last 3 months
• Inability to understand and follow test instructions due to communicative, mental, or cognitive impairments

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Region Skane: lead

Study Sites (1)

Lund University

Lund, Skåne County, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Larsson SL, Ekstrand E, Dahlin LB, Bjorkman A, Brogren E. Effects of a neuromuscular joint-protective exercise therapy program for treatment of wrist osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024 Jan 5;25(1):38. doi: 10.1186/s12891-023-07157-4.

  PMID: 38183045 DERIVED

• Larsson SL, Ekstrand E, Dahlin LB, Bjorkman A, Brogren E. A self-managed exercise therapy program for wrist osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2023 Oct 2;24(1):628. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07668-4.

  PMID: 37784197 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Elisabeth Brogren, PhD

  Lund University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 27, 2022
• First Posted: May 10, 2022
• Study Start: October 3, 2019
• Primary Completion: March 10, 2023
• Study Completion: March 10, 2023
• Last Updated: June 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SE (1)