Ulnar Wrist Pain
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to learn if adding specific "nerve gliding" exercises to a standard physical therapy program helps reduce pain and improve hand function in people with ulnar-sided (pinky side) wrist pain. Participants who have had wrist pain for at least 3 months will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups will receive a standard treatment program that includes patient education, activity modification, massage, and ice application. One group will also perform specific nerve gliding exercises for the ulnar nerve. Researchers will evaulate pain level, hand function, strength, weight-bearing tolerance, and joint position sense at the beginning and after 4 weeks of treatment to see if the exercises provide extra benefit. The study treatment period lasts for 4 weeks.
Interventions
OTHERUlnar Nerve Gliding Exercises
Ulnar nerve gliding exercises will be performed twice a week in the clinic for 4 weeks. Participants will also perform these exercises as a home program 3 times daily.
OTHERConventional Physiotherapy
Includes patient education, activity modification, classic massage along the ulnar nerve trace, and ice application (10-12 minutes) at the end of each session.
Sponsors
Gazi University
Ankara University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Being over 18 years of age. * History of ulnar-sided wrist pain lasting for at least 3 months. * Diagnosis of ulnar-sided wrist pain confirmed by a hand surgeon, which may include: fractures or dislocations of the 4th and 5th metacarpals, hamate, triquetrum, lunate, pisiform, distal ulna, or distal radius; Lunotriquetral ligament tears; Kienböck's disease; Ulnar impaction syndrome; Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) injury; carpal instabilities; DRUJ instability; pisotriquetral arthritis; DRUJ arthritis; extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon subluxation; or tendinitis of the ECU, extensor digiti minimi, and flexor carpi ulnaris. * Adequate cognitive level (scoring 22 or above on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale).
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of other diseases involving the hand and wrist (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren's disease). * History of traumatic injury to the hand, wrist, and/or forearm within the last 3 months. * History of surgery on the hand, wrist, and/or forearm within the last 6 months. * Currently receiving treatment for hand and wrist problems.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Level | From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks | Pain level will be evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain at rest, during activity, and at night. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist Function | Baseline and 4 weeks. | Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) questionnaire (0-100 scale, higher scores indicate greater disability) |
| Grip Strength | Baseline and 4 weeks | Measured with a Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer in kg (average of 3 trials) |
| Wrist Strength | Baseline and 4 weeks | Wrist flexion and extension strength will be measured with handheld dynamometer. |
| Weight Bearing Tolerance | Baseline and 4 weeks | Measured in kg using an analog scale where participants apply maximum force with the wrist. |
| Joint Position Sense | Baseline and 4 weeks. | Measured as degrees of deviation from a 30° target position using a goniometer. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
CONTACTCeren Zorluogullari
Outcome results
None listed