Does Restriction of the Dominant Hand Due to Injury Improve Non-Dominant Hand Function?

NCT06783205 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2024-390
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Hand injuries result in the restriction of use of the injured hand within a splint or a plaster during the first 6 weeks which is critical for tissue healing. When the dominant hand is injured, patients experience more difficulty in daily life due to this restriction. Patients injured on their dominant hand mostly express that they are forced to use their non-dominant hand in their activities and as a result, the function of the non-dominant hand improves. However, the non-dominant hand function has not been analyzed in patients with restricted use of the dominant hand during the tissue healing period.

Conditions

Dexterity; Tendon Injuries; Fractures; Nerve Injury

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• hand function

  Hand function will be assessed using the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), a valid tool for evaluating impairment and disability. The test includes tasks involving common grip types in daily life, aiming to measure the speed of task performance. Standardized materials, easily available in clinics, are used. The test has seven tasks: writing a 24-letter text, turning cards, collecting small objects, eating, stacking checkers, collecting light wide objects, and collecting heavy wide objects. A 1-minute rest is given between tasks, and completion time is recorded in seconds. Before evaluation, examples will be provided, and individuals will perform a trial run of each task. In our study, only the unaffected, non-dominant hand will be assessed, starting with a single real assessment after the trial.

  6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• disability level

  6 weeks

• Grip and pinch strengths

  6 weeks

Study Arms (1)

patient with orthosis/cast

Patients referred to the Hand Rehabilitation Unit of Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, for physiotherapy and rehabilitation due to hand-related pathologies, and who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria, will be informed about the study. No treatment other than routine care will be administered. Only two evaluations will be conducted: one at the first session and the other at the end of the 6th week.

Other: Restriction of the Dominant Hand Due to Splint Use

Interventions

Restriction of the Dominant Hand Due to Splint Use OTHER

This study aimed to assess whether the non-dominant hand function changes in patients using splints or casts on their dominant hand during the tissue healing period.

patient with orthosis/cast

Eligibility Criteria

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

Study Population

Patients referred to the Hand Rehabilitation Unit of Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, for physiotherapy and rehabilitation due to hand-related pathologies, and who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be included.

You may qualify if:

• Individuals who need to use a splint for 6 weeks due to any pathology in their dominant hand
• Ages between 18-65
• Individuals who are within the first 10 days after the operation

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals with an isolated thumb injury
• Those who require bilateral use of the splint/have bilateral pathology
• Those who have a condition that prevents the use of the non-dominant hand
• Those who can use both hands equally/do not have a dominant side (ambidextrous/two-handed)
• Those who have a cooperative status that will not comply with the treatment program
• Data from individuals who do not use the splint as described during the 6-week follow-up period will not be included in the analysis.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Gazi University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Gazi University Health Science Faculty Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department

Ankara, Yenimahalle, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tendon Injuries; Fractures, Bone

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Wounds and Injuries

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Target Duration: 6 Weeks
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2025
• First Posted: January 20, 2025
• Study Start: April 6, 2024
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2026
• Study Completion: March 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2024-03

Locations

TU (1)