Optimal daily total end range time for contracture: resolution in hand splinting

Abstract

Reduced passive range of motion (PROM) of the joints of the hand is a common sequela of traumatic upper limb injury. Although mobilizing splinting is a common modality used by hand therapists to improve PROM, limited empirical evidence is available to guide therapist prescription. This study investigated the importance of the timing of splint application per 24-hour period, daily total end range time (TERT), via a prospective sequential clinical trial. A total of 43 subjects with joint contractures of the hand after traumatic upper limb injury were randomly allocated to one of two splint programs. Subjects in group A used their splint for less than 6 hours per day, and subjects in group B used their splint for 6 to 12 hours per day. Daily TERT was recorded by subjects in a splint diary. Passive torque range of motion (TROM) was used to measure the extent of contracture resolution over four weeks of splinting. High intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of the TROM technique was established for this sample (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.993 to 0.998). Sequential analysis showed a statistically significant preference for group B, daily TERT of 6 to 12 hours per day (p < 0.05). Pretreatment joint stiffness (p = 0.162) and joint type (p = 0.463) did not influence final TROM significantly. These findings help to provide some controlled data from which therapists may base future prescription (dose) of daily TERT.