Effects of a finger exercise program on hand function in automobile workers with hand osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

Hand osteoarthritis reduces a person's ability to perform work activities and return to their occupation. We investigated the effects of a finger exercise program on hand grip strength, pain, physical function, and stiffness in automobile manufacturing workers with hand osteoarthritis. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 29 subjects. Fifteen experimental subjects received a finger exercise program with paraffin baths, while 14 control subjects received only paraffin baths. Hand grip strength, pain, physical function, and stiffness were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks later. In the experimental group, hand grip strength (P < 0.001) and Australian/Canadian osteoarthritis hand index (AUSCAN) scores (pain, P < 0.001; stiffness, P < 0.001; physical function, P < 0.001) were significantly improved by 3.52 ± 2.03, 21.6 ± 8.3 (pain), 16.8 ± 10.21 (stiffness), and 13.86 ± 4.54 (physical function) compared with preintervention values. In the control group, hand grip strength (P = 0.004) and AUSCAN scores (pain, P < 0.001; stiffness, P = 0.019; physical function, P < 0.001) were significantly improved by 0.57 ± 0.62, 7.85 ± 5.46 (pain) 11.42 ± 7.18 (stiffness), and 10.28 ± 14.41 (physical function) compared with preintervention values. Significant differences between groups were found for postintervention hand grip strength (P = 0.015) and AUSCAN index subscale scores (pain, P < 0.001; physical function, P = 0.020). A combined finger exercise and paraffin bath program is effective in reducing pain, improving physical function, and increasing hand grip strength in workers with hand osteoarthritis.