Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
HA Young Investigators Session (Projects to be presented by HA staff who had joined HA for 10 years or less)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Research and Innovations (new projects / technology / innovations / service models)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Ching BPC(1), Lam CCS(1), Leung AKY(1), Louie FTM(1)
Affiliation :
Occupational Therapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Introduction :
Hyperesthesia is a common complaint during hand rehabilitation after traumatic hand injury. A new method desensitization home programme was designed by occupational therapist in Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole hospital with the desensitization chain for patients with hyperesthesia over fingers following traumatic hand injury. The desensitization chain is composed of craft beads with different shapes, Velcro hook and loop. This programme aims to increase the effectiveness of desensitization training with high accessibility and portability of the desensitization chain, hence promote rehabilitation in community at home.
Objectives :
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness over desensitization chain application as home programme on improving hand function.
Methodology :
Patients with hyperesthesia over fingers following traumatic hand injury were recruited and randomly allocated into 2 groups in this pilot study – treatment group and control group. Both groups receive the same intensity and regime of occupational therapy and physiotherapy rehabilitation sessions except treatment group was additionally prescribed with desensitization chain. They were instructed to apply the chain for 3 times a day with 15 minutes in duration.
There were 6 patients with 8 injured fingers in treatment group and 4 patients with 6 injured fingers in control group. All subjects were recruited after 6 weeks post-injury. Baseline measurements were taken prior the intervention, followed by post-treatment assessments at 3 months. Outcome measures included hand grip strength, numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), rainbow pain scale (RPS) and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH).
The paired sample t-test was used to calculate the significance of changes in clinical outcomes within each group and independent t-test was used to compare any differences between groups. The significance level of p value less than 0.05 was used.
Result & Outcome :
Improvements in hand function were shown in both groups. In treatment group, statistically improvement in RPS and grip strength. In control group, it showed statistically significant improvement in NPRS. By comparing both groups, the means changes of clinical outcomes improved more in treatment group, but the changes were not statistically significant.
The use of desensitization chain as home programme was effective for patients with hyperesthesia after traumatic hand injury. Further research is warranted to validate the results with larger sample sizes in both groups.
