Proximal Strengthening for the Management of Wrist Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This will be a non-blinded randomized controlled trial using a sample of consecutive patients with wrist pain. Patients who are referred to Nationwide Children's Hospital Hand therapy clinics with a primary complaint of wrist pain will be considered for this study.

Patients will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups; The proximal strengthening group or Traditional Hand Therapy Group. Both treatment groups will be evaluated and treated by the certified hand therapists for 2 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Both groups will receive similar treatment durations of 45-60 minutes per session based on each patient's individual needs.

Proximal strengthening group-The experimental proximal strengthening group consists of treatment where the hand therapist address specific impairments at the wrist and hand for 20-30 minutes at each treatment session. Patients allocated to this treatment group will also perform a standardized proximal strengthening protocol consisting of cervical, periscapular, and shoulder strengthening exercises. Depending on the pace and guidance needed for these exercises 25-30 minutes will be spent on proximal strengthening exercises. As the patients endurance and strength increased the repetitions and/or resistance of these exercises will increase.

Traditional Hand Therapy Group This active comparator group consists of treatment where the hand therapist address specific impairments at the wrist and hand for 45-60 minutes at each treatment session. Treatment can include stretching, motion, and strengthening exercises. As the patients endurance and strength increased the repetitions and/or resistance of these exercises will increase. Modalities for pain control and tissue mobility, and bracing or splinting if necessary. All treatments for the traditional hand therapy treatment group will occur seated at the hand therapy treatment table.