Effectiveness of Exercise Relative Motion Orthoses for Limited Finger Joint Motion
Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Stiffness
In brief
This randomized controlled trial investigates the effectiveness of two exercise orthosis designs-the Relative Motion Flexion (RMF) and Relative Motion Extension (RME) orthoses-for improving motion in patients with proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) flexion or extension deficits. A total of 148 adult patients with acute hand injuries and a minimum 10° difference between active and passive PIP joint motion will be enrolled. Participants are stratified by their primary motion deficit and randomized to either the exercise orthosis or placebo orthosis group. The orthosis is worn for 4 weeks, with follow-up assessments at weeks 6 and 8 to evaluate range of motion and patient satisfaction. All participants will continue standard hand therapy throughout the study.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06985459
- Run by
- Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
- People needed
- 148
- Starts
- 2025-05-01
- Expected to finish
- 2028-05-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-05-29
Who can join
Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- PIPJ motion deficit with a minimum difference of 10° between passive and active motion
- To have an acute injury, i.e. operated on or within maximum 6 weeks of accident
- Only one hand is affected
- Adult patients over 18 years of age
- Understanding German, French or English
- Hand therapy treatment in-house at Inselspital in Bern
- Ability to give informed consent as documented by signature
You may not qualify if…
- Previous injuries to the hand or PIPJ (e.g., intra-articular fractures, PIPJ ligament damage) that may limit baseline joint mobility and influence responsiveness to the intervention.
- Presence of conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that may affect PIPJ stiffness, pain, or inflammation.
- Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia
- Boutonniere deformity
- Minors (below 18 years of age)
Where it is running
- University Hospital Bern — Bern, Canton of Bern, Switzerland (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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