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Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Background: Trigger finger (TF) is a common hand condition with a prevalence rate of 2.6% in the general population (Merry et al., 2020). With clinical symptoms of pain, swelling, and clicking or locking of a digit, TF can cause functional limitations in using the involved hand during daily activities, affecting quality of life and activity participation.

Purpose: The primary objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of occupational therapy with the use of PIPJ block orthosis in reducing pain and triggering symptoms and improving function for individuals with trigger fingers in the setting of outpatient OT therapy clinics.

Theoretical Framework: The foundational concept of this quantitative study was drawn from the postpositivist worldview, also called the scientific method, which reflects the need to identify and assess the causes that influence outcomes using variables that comprise research questions. The occupational therapy treatment of this research study is based on the biomechanical rehabilitation model.

Methods: The capstone project was a quantitative retrospective study using a pre/posttest, one-group design to examine the benefits of the PIPJ block orthosis for the conservative treatment of TF in an outpatient OT setting. Paired t-tests were used to determine changes in outcome measures for pain and Quick DASH, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for the trigger finger grade changes before and after OT treatment.

Results: Thirty-eight subjects and 45 involved digits were included in the final data analysis, with an average age of 64.2 years, and 66% of participants were female. The alpha value of p ≤ 0.05 was used to test for statistical significance of the outcome measures. Pain and severity of trigger finger grade showed statistically significant reduction post-OT. Although the average pre- and post-intervention impairment score assessed by QuickDASH decreased, the change was not statistically significant due to the small size of available data (n=18).

Conclusions: This study concludes that PIPJ block orthosis effectively reduces pain and the severity of trigger symptoms in a grading system that is statistically and clinically significant for individuals with isolated TF, multiple TF, or trigger thumb. For maximum benefits of using PIPJ block orthosis in reducing trigger finger symptoms, wearing time of 6 to 10 weeks is recommended. Orthotic management is a viable option for conservative OT treatment for TF in an outpatient OT setting.

Faculty Mentor

Renee Causey-Upton, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, CLA, FAOTA

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

Committee Member

Sara Brito, OTR/L, CHT, PhD, MOT, MEd, BSc

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

Department Affiliation

Occupational Therapy

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

5956