Occupational Therapy On Rheumatic Arthritis Research Papers Example

Occupational therapy is a therapeutic use of self-care, work, and fun activities in order to increase independent function, enhanced development, and prevent disability due to several diseases/illnesses. Sessions may include participation in a task or environment to achieve maximum independence and better quality of life. It is performed by patients suffering from various physically disabling and psychiatric illnesses to recover their optimum strength to go back to their usual activities such as daily work. One of the diseases that require occupational therapy is Rheumatoid Arthritis (The Occupational Therapy Field, n.d.).
Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most disabling types of arthritis which began as an autoimmune disease. This illness has affected at least 1.3 million people in America. The weak immune system triggers the formation of this type of arthritis which leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and eventually limited motion and function of many joints, mostly the hand and feet. Furthermore, there are cases where in it affected organs such as the eyes and lungs (Ruderman & Tambar, 2012).
A research was conducted by Callinan and Mathiowetz in 1995 to test the effect of hand resting splints on rheumatoid patients. The study aimed to compare the soft versus hard resting hand splints, its effect on the easing the pain, and the patients’ compliance in wearing the splint.
Reviews cited in the research indicated the benefits of using splints, the types and materials of splints, and the client’s compliance. It was mentioned that immobilization brought about by splinting reduces the stress on damaged joint capsule and synovial lining allowing immunological fluids to circulate properly in the affected area reducing the inflammation. However, no research was able to support as to which is the most preferable material to use in making the splints since the splint preference depends on the patients. Compliance of patients varies depending on different factors such as immediate effect on pain, comfort, level of pain, and family support. The literature cited supported the objectives of the study.
Thirty nine persons with diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis under the criteria of American Rheumatism Association 1987 were tested using the soft and hard resting hand splints. Splint preference was evaluated at first in order to determine its effects on the compliance of wearing the splint. Repeated measure design was used to compare the experimental conditions of the patients. For the set-up of the controlled sample, each participant slept with no splint for the first 28 nights. As for the actual experimental set-up, the participants slept with soft and hard resting hand splints, respectively, in their dominant hand for 28 days. Both splints used were wrist-hand extension immobilization splints (type 0) based on the American Society of Hand Therapists. Both splints were fabricated by the same therapist who made the soft resting hand splint cotton padded while the hard resting hand splint with l/8-in thermoplastic with strapping.
The Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS 2) and a self-administered demographic questionnaire were used to measure the impact of the disease on functional performance. The scales used for measuring the impact on arm and hand function were administered as well.
It was found out that arthritis was considerably less painful during the days that they wear either splints as compared to the controlled or no splint days. Participants also identified fewer joint pains during the nights while wearing splints versus the controlled. There were no significant differences measured in terms of the hand function. This was related to AIMS 2’s lack of sensitivity in detecting small change in hand function. Soft resting hand splint was the most preferred splint type by patients with a 57% preference. This statistic is followed by the hard resting hand splint preferred by 33% of the participants. Moreover, unsplinted is preferred by the remaining 10% of the participants. Compliance in wearing the splint was significantly better with soft resting hand splint with a compliance rate of 82% as compared to the compliance rate of hard resting hand splint which is 67%. However, it was pointed out in the study that it cannot be assumed that all clients will benefit from the usage of splint due to their preference on the type of splint.
Findings concluded that resting hand splints are effective to relieve the pain of persons with rheumatoid arthritis. The participant’s willingness and compliance in wearing the splints is higher for soft resting hand splint. Individualizing or considering the preference of the splint was found to enhance wearing compliance as well.
The limitations of the study include limited data due to patients who were not able to finish the study, lack of transition days in wearing the splint, and non-inclusion of identified compliance enhancing strategies on wearing resting hand splints.

References

Callinan N. J. & Mathiowetz, V. (1995). Soft Versus Hard Resting Hand Splints in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Pain Relief, Preference, and Compliance. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy
Ruderman, E & Tambar, S. (2012). Rheumatoid Arthritis. American College of Rheumatology
The Occupational Therapy Field. (n.d.). Introduction to Occupational Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.pennfoster.edu/~/media/Files/PDF/SampleLessons/383-Occupational%20Therapy%20Aide%20Career%20Diploma.ashx