Action Observation, Hand Injuries, Motor Imagery
Conditions
Brief summary
The study aimed to investigate the effects of early sleep after action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training sessions on manual dexterity in patients with hand immobilization after surgical fixation for metacarpals and phalanges fractures. Fifty-one patients with hand immobilization for surgical fixation of IV or V metacarpals or first phalanges fractures will be randomized into AOMI-sleep (n=17), AOMI-control (n=17), and Control (n=17) group. AOMI-sleep and AOMI-control groups will perform an AOMI-training before sleeping or in the morning respectively, while Control group will be asked to observe landscape video-clips. Participants will be assessed for manual dexterity, hand range of motion, hand disability and quality of life at baseline before and after the training and at 1 month after the training end.
Detailed description
The study aimed to investigate the effects of early sleep after action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training sessions on manual dexterity in patients with hand immobilization after surgical fixation for metacarpals and phalanges fractures. Fifty-one patients with right hand immobilization for surgical fixation of IV or V metacarpals or first phalanges fractures will be randomized into an AOMI-sleep (n=17), AOMI-control (n=17), and Control (n=17) group. AOMI-sleep and AOMI-control groups will perform a 2-week AOMI-training including transitive manual dexterity tasks between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. or between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. respectively, while Control group participants will be asked to observe landscape video-clips between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. Participants will be assessed for manual dexterity (Purdue Pegboard Test and kinematic indexes during Nine Hole Peg Test), hand range of motion (Total Active Motion) hand disability (Quick-DASH) and quality of life (EQ5D) at baseline (1 week after surgery), training end (3 weeks after surgery) and 1 month after the training end (7 weeks after surgery).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAction observation plus motor imagery followed by sleep
Participants will be asked to observe video-clips showing motor contents immediately before sleeping
BEHAVIORALAction observation plus motor imagery
Participants will be asked to observe video-clips showing motor contents at least 12 hours before sleeping
BEHAVIORALControl
Participants will be asked to observe video-clips showing landscapes before sleeping
Sponsors
Istituto Clinico Humanitas
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Surgical fixation for IV or V MTC or P1 fracture at the level of the right hand * Age 18-40 years old * Right-hand dominance
Exclusion criteria
* Damage to additional hand structure requiring surgery (e.g. tendons, ligaments and nerves) * Occurrence of left upper limb injuries * Post-surgical complications (e.g. CPRS) * Immobilization \<12 or \>30 days * Diagnosis of neurological/musculoskeletal conditions * Sports or activities requiring advanced manual skills or sleep deprivation * History of psychiatric disorders * Sleep disorders (e.g. insomnia, OSAS, REN or Non-REM behavioural disorders) * Medication affecting the physiological sleep pattern
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in Purdue Pegboard Test | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Manual dexterity test |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in Visual Analogue Scale | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Scale assessing perceived pain |
| Changes in Quick-DASH | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Questionnaire assessing upper limb disability |
| Changes in kinematic indexes during Nine Hole Peg Test | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Manual dexterity test with kinematic indexes recording |
| Changes in Total Active Motion | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Measurement of the range of motion of V and IV fingers |
| Hand-grip strength | 1-month follow-up | Test of maximal strength with a dynamometer |
| Changes in EQ5D | Before and after 2 weeks of training and at 1 month follow-up | Questionnaire assessing quality of life |
Outcome results
None listed