ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05942443Updated Jul 12, 2023

Comparative Effectiveness of the Two Splints in Trigger Finger

An interventional study of Pre-treatment and Post-treatment in Trigger Finger, sponsored by Hacettepe University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-07-12.

Sponsored by Hacettepe University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 2 years after the study started (first participant enrolled Jun 2021, registered Jun 2023).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
30
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

RME orthosis is recommended for the treatment of trigger finger. However, its efficacy has not been studied in trigger finger patients. Given the increasing popularity of this orthosis among clinicians, it is important to evaluate their effectiveness to provide evidence for its use in trigger finger. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of a 6-week orthotic intervention in a randomly selected group of patients with trigger finger using MCP-blocking and RME orthoses.

Read the detailed description

Generally, three types of orthoses are used in the treatment of trigger finger. Some authors used MCP blocking orthosis, while others used DIP or PIP blocking orthosis. Comparative studies are quite limited, as only one study comparing two orthotic designs found that the MCP blocking orthosis was more effective than the DIP blocking orthosis.The MCP blocking orthosis, which restricts the MCP joint to 10-15° of flexion, is commonly used in the conservative treatment of trigger finger.An RME orthosis could be an alternative orthotic treatment option for trigger finger because it holds the MCP in an extended position. The RME orthosis is thought to prevent flexion of the affected finger, thereby limiting tendon glide. This reduces the pressure on the A1 pulley, allowing the tendon to glide more smoothly, reducing the likelihood of triggering. Despite limiting motion,the orthosis still allows the patient to perform daily activities with the orthosis. Therefore, positioning the MCP joint in extension could provide additional benefits in trigger finger. The relative motion orthosis is a new orthotic design that positions the affected finger in 10-15 degrees of extension relative to the adjacent fingers.It also has several advantages, including small size, low-profile design, easy and inexpensive fabrication, and better patient compliance. The primary objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a 6-week orthotic intervention for pain relief in a randomly selected group of patients with TF using the MCP blocking orthosis and the RME orthosis. The secondary objective was to determine the comparative effectiveness of the orthoses on function and satisfaction with the orthosis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Trigger Finger

Keywords

  • Trigger finger
  • relative motion splint
  • pain
  • function
  • satisfaction
  • static splint
03

In context

Trigger Finger Disorder

93 studies on the registry are indexed under Trigger Finger Disorder; 22 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 66 across 75 interventional studies indexed under Trigger Finger Disorder.

Browse Trigger Finger Disorder studies →

Lead sponsor

Hacettepe University is the lead sponsor of 1,007 studies on the registry; 214 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • patients diagnosed with Stage 1-3 trigger finger (Froimson Classification)
  • A1 pulley triggering

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • trigger thumb
  • multiple trigger fingers on one hand
  • neurological disorders
  • rheumatologic diseases
  • pregnancy
  • patients who had received a injection in the affected finger within the previous six months
  • patients who had previously undergone trigger release surgery
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
30 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    MCP blocking orthosis

    Patients received the MCP blocking orthosis

    Procedure: Pre-treatment · Procedure: Post-treatment

  • Experimental
    RME orthosis

    Patients received the RME orthosis for six weeks

    Procedure: Pre-treatment · Procedure: Post-treatment

Interventions

  • ProcedurePre-treatment

    The custom MCP blocking orthosis was made of a 1.6-mm-thick thermoplastic material that extends from the palm over the MCP joint and includes a ring around the proximal phalanx. It is designed to block the MCP joint in flexion of 10°-20° while allowing full range of motion of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints.

  • ProcedurePost-treatment

    The RME orthosis was fabricated from 3.2-mm-thick thermoplastic material with the affected finger positioned at an extension of approximately 10°-20° relative to the adjacent fingers.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Finger Pain

    Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

    Time frame: baseline, sixth week

Secondary outcomes

  1. Satisfaction with the orthosis

    The Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Evaluation (Quest 2.0)

    Time frame: sixth week

  2. Hand Function

    Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (DASH)

    Time frame: baseline, sixth week

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Hacettepe University Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
    Ankara, Turkey
08

References and documents

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 12, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05942443
Responsible party
Cigdem Ayhan (professor doctor, Hacettepe University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 12, 2023
Start date
Jun 1, 2021
Primary completion
Mar 30, 2022
Completion
May 1, 2022
Last update
Jul 12, 2023

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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