Assessing the Pressure and Thermal Discomfort Thresholds for Designing of Therapeutic Gloves: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Pressure and thermal therapy gloves are the two types of therapeutic gloves that are commonly used to relieve symptoms and improve hand function in patients with hand arthritis. However, no published clinical study exists indicating ideal pressure and thermal stimuli for the gloves. Understanding user thresholds for the pressure and thermal stimuli is crucial to improve therapeutic outcomes, wearers comfort, and adherence to the therapy. There were two main aims of this pilot study, firstly to examine the pressure and thermal discomfort thresholds in different regions of the hand in individuals with hand osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and secondly to determine whether the Cold-Heat pattern questionnaire could be used as a tool to categorize patients into groups to decide over the right treatment option for a patient. Design: Thirteen women with hand OA or RA participated in this exploratory study. The pressure and thermal discomfort thresholds were assessed over the first distal interphalangeal joint, second distal interphalangeal joint, third proximal interphalangeal joint, third metacarpophalangeal joint, and first carpometacarpal joint. Results: Significant variations were observed among the participants in their pressure, cold, and heat discomfort thresholds. Some of the participants also recorded significantly different levels of sensitivity toward pressure, cold, and heat at different locations of the hand. Moderate correlations were found between the duration of arthritis and pressure discomfort thresholds, as well as between the duration of arthritis and cold discomfort thresholds; those with a longer duration of arthritis were significantly more sensitive toward pressure and cold. Based on Cold-Heat pattern questionnaire, eight participants were classified as individuals who are sensitive to cold (cold pattern group) and five participants were classified as individuals who are sensitive to heat (heat pattern group). There w