Authors (including presenting author) :
Fung HK(1), Tsang NC(1), Yeung SF(1), Kwong SF(1), Wan SY(1), Lam KC(1), Mok WY(2), Wong MS(3), Li HL(3), Cheung YH(3), Yuen SY(4), Wu MY(4)
Affiliation :
1. Physiotherapy Department, HKEC 2. Orthopaedics & Traumatology Department, PYNEH 3. Department of Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare, HKEC 4. Specialist Out-Patient Department, PYNEH
Introduction :
The Family Medicine and Orthopaedics & Traumatology Collaborative Triage (FMOT) programme was launched in August 2022. Based on this programme and the physiotherapy triage service model, a physiotherapy clinic specialising in hand conditions was established to provide early physiotherapy interventions for trigger finger patients.
Objectives :
- To evaluate the effectiveness of early physiotherapy interventions in managing trigger finger
- To provide timely physiotherapy interventions to reduce trigger finger patient’s waiting time
Methodology :
The clinical outcomes of patients from our physiotherapy clinic were evaluated from August 2022 to August 2023. Inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with trigger fingers and completed the full course of physiotherapy treatment. Exclusion criteria included other serious pathologies identified on the same finger and patients who underwent trigger finger release.
Physiotherapy intervention consisted of education, hand ergonomic advice, therapeutic exercises and shockwave therapy. Outcome measures included Numerical Pain Rating Scale, hand grip strength and the Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) Questionnaire. All outcomes were assessed in the first and final physiotherapy session as a pre and post-treatment comparison.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 20 patients (mean age 66.7 ; 20% male, 80% female) were evaluated. Significant improvement was shown in the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (from 4.56 to 1.88, p<0.01). In terms of grip strength, significant increase was found (from 13.5 kg to 16.8 kg, p=0.03). A significant improvement was also shown in the QuickDASH Questionnaire (from 32.3% to 14.8%, p<0.01).
Moreover, the physiotherapy clinic was able to reduce the patient’s waiting time by approximately 40% (from 91.4 days to 35.8 days). This indicated that early physiotherapy interventions could effectively improve pain level and functional ability compared with conventional patient journey.
Conclusion
Based on the FMOT collaborative triage programme and the physiotherapy triage service model, statistically significant improvements were observed in trigger fingers patients with early physiotherapy interventions in terms of pain level and functional ability. Furthermore, results showed a much shorter waiting time for trigger finger patients in this new model of patient journey.
