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- Title
Task-oriented training with computer gaming in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis of the hand: study protocol of a randomized controlled pilot trial.
- Authors
Srikesavan, Cynthia Swarnalatha; Shay, Barbara; Robinson, David B.; Szturm, Tony
- Abstract
Background: Significant restriction in the ability to participate in home, work and community life results from pain, fatigue, joint damage, stiffness and reduced joint range of motion and muscle strength in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis of the hand. With modest evidence on the therapeutic effectiveness of conventional hand exercises, a task-oriented training program via real life object manipulations has been developed for people with arthritis. An innovative, computer-based gaming platform that allows a broad range of common objects to be seamlessly transformed into therapeutic input devices through instrumentation with a motion-sense mouse has also been designed. Personalized objects are selected to target specific training goals such as graded finger mobility, strength, endurance or fine/gross dexterous functions. The movements and object manipulation tasks that replicate common situations in everyday living will then be used to control and play any computer game, making practice challenging and engaging. Methods/Design: The ongoing study is a 6-week, single-center, parallel-group, equally allocated and assessorblinded pilot randomized controlled trial. Thirty people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis affecting the hand will be randomized to receive either conventional hand exercises or the task-oriented training. The purpose is to determine a preliminary estimation of therapeutic effectiveness and feasibility of the task-oriented training program. Performance based and self-reported hand function, and exercise compliance are the study outcomes. Changes in outcomes (pre to post intervention) within each group will be assessed by paired Student t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test and between groups (control versus experimental) post intervention using unpaired Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Discussion: The study findings will inform decisions on the feasibility, safety and completion rate and will also provide preliminary data on the treatment effects of the task-oriented training compared with conventional hand exercises in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis of the hand.
- Subjects
RHEUMATOID arthritis treatment; TEAMS in the workplace; VIDEO games; OSTEOARTHRITIS; EVERYDAY life; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; RESEARCH protocols
- Publication
Trials, 2013, Vol 14, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1745-6215
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/1745-6215-14-69