Are static resting wrist splints beneficial in early RA?

Author(s): Vlieland TP

Affiliation(s): TPM Vliet Vlieland is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Orthopaedics and Rheumatology at Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Publication date & source: 2009-02-03, Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol., [Epub ahead of print]

Publication type:

In a randomized controlled trial, Adams et al. compared the effectiveness of static resting wrist splints plus occupational therapy with occupational therapy alone in 120 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Self-reported adherence with splint wear was moderate, with 24.5% of patients reporting that they had never worn the splints over the 12-month study period. Except for a small benefit of resting splints in the occurrence, but not the duration, of hand morning stiffness, there were no significant differences in structural impairment and functional hand ability outcomes between the control and splint groups. The findings of this trial are in line with the negative outcomes of earlier studies of static resting wrist splints in patients with longer disease duration. The currently available data suggest, therefore, that resting wrist splints might not be an effective routine treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.