The clinical and cost effectiveness of splints for thumb base osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical effectiveness, efficacy and cost effectiveness of splints (orthoses) in people with symptomatic basal thumb joint OA (BTOA).

Methods: A pragmatic, multicentre parallel group randomized controlled trial at 17 National Health Service (NHS) hospital departments recruited adults with symptomatic BTOA and at least moderate hand pain and dysfunction. We randomized participants (1:1:1) using a computer-based minimization system to one of three treatment groups: a therapist supported self-management programme (SSM), a therapist supported self-management programme plus a verum thumb splint (SSM+S), or a therapist supported self-management programme plus a placebo thumb splint (SSM+PS).

The Osteoarthritis Thumb Therapy (OTTER) II Trial: a study protocol for a three-arm multi-centre randomised placebo controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness and efficacy and cost-effectiveness of splints for symptomatic thumb base osteoarthritis.

Introduction: The economic cost of osteoarthritis (OA) is high. At least 4.4 million people have hand OA in the UK.

An expert patient-led approach to learning and teaching: the case of physiotherapy.

With patient expertise being afforded greater legitimacy in healthcare provision, there is a strengthening case for involving patients more creatively in the education of healthcare professionals. This paper reports on the results of a small-scale educational research project designed to explore how third-year physiotherapy students experienced a teaching session on the subject of strokes, led by two expert patients, and what they learnt from it. Applying a qualitative methodology, six students were interviewed in depth about the experience.