The Effects of Kinesiophobia and Proprioception on Disability and Function in Rheumatoid Hand

Completed

• Conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

• Registration Number: NCT07141927
• Lead Sponsor: Cumhuriyet University

Brief Summary

This is a cross-sectional study aimed at examining the effects of kinesiophobia and proprioception on disability and function in the rheumatoid hand, compared to healthy controls.

Detailed Description

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a fairly common chronic inflammatory disease. Up to 90% of wrist and finger joints are affected by RA. Thus, it is known that a decrease in performance-based function and disability occur in the hand. Kinesiophobia leads to avoidance behavior, especially in painful conditions. Kinesiophobia has been shown to be a significant mental factor leading to functional loss and disability in rheumatoid hand (RH). On the other hand, joint repositioning sense measurements, which show proprioceptive losses in the wrist and hand joints due to the effects of RA, have been demonstrated. However, as far as we know, the contributions of these mental and biological factors (kinesiophobia + proprioception) to the function and disability of RH have not been examined together.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-04-18
• Primary Completion: 2023-11-28
• Study Completion: 2024-07-28
• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Study First Submitted: 2025-08-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-08-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-19
• Study First Posted: 2025-08-26
• Last Update Posted: 2025-08-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 70

Inclusion Criteria

Inclusion criteria for patients with RA

• Diagnosis of RA
• Volunteering
• Being between the ages of 18 and 65

Inclusion criteria for healthy controls

• Being healthy.
• Being between 18-65 years old.
• Being a volunteer

Exclusion Criteria

Exclusion criteria for patients with RA:

• The presence of another rheumatic disease or chronic illness that could affect function and cause disability.
• Pain, deformity, or other cooperation issues (such as severe mental, visual, or hearing impairments) that prevent participation in measurements.
• Sensory loss in the upper extremity, history of surgery, and injury in the last six months.

Exclusion criteria for healthy controls

• Any diagnosis of chronic or acute illness.
• In the upper extremity, history of surgery injury in the last six months.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Kinesiophobia	First day	The participant's fear-avoidance behavior toward physical activity was assessed using the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale.
Wrist-thumb proprioception	First day	Joint position sense for wrist extension and thumb carpometacarpal flexion was assessed with goniometry. Joint position sense was measured by the ability to actively replicate a pre-determined target angle (30 degrees). During the measurement, the participant's evaluated joints was brought to the target angle and held in this position for three seconds. The participant was asked to hold this position in their memory, after which the joints will be passively returned to the starting position. Then, the participant was asked to actively move their hand to these pre-determined positions. The result was determined by the average deviation angle obtained from the measurements repeated at thirty-second intervals. These measurement were only taken with the dominant hand.
Hand function	First day	Hand function was evaluated with the Dellon Modifiye Moberg pickup test.
Hand disability	First day	Hand disability was evaluated with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Demographic characteristics	First day	Gender, age, employment and income status, smoking habits, and dominant hand information were recorded. Education below high school was categorized as low education. RA patients were also asked about the duration of their illness.
Disease activity	First day	RA disease activity was assessed using the DAS28- theDiseaseActivity Score 28
Physical activity level	First day	: Participants' physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. An IPAQ score of less than 600 metabolic equivalents (METs) was defined as low activity
Isometric wrist extensor muscle strength measurement	First day	Measurements were taken with the participant sitting upright, elbow close to the body and bent at 90 degrees, forearm supported on a surface in pronation, and the wrist-hand in space. Strength measurement was performed using the MAKE method with the wrist in 30 degrees of extension and a dynamometer placed on the back of the hand.. The average of three measurements taken one minute apart after a trial was recorded in kilograms. This measurement was only taken with the dominant hand.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sivas Cumhuriyet University; Sivas, Turkey (Türkiye)