Home Based Computer Gaming Hand Exercise Regimen for People With Arthritis Affecting the Hands

Effects of Home Based Computer Gaming Hand Exercise Regimen in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) or Osteoarthritis (OA) -A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

The purpose of the study is to determine whether a novel computer gaming hand exercise regimen would improve hand function, decrease pain/ stiffness and be feasible in people with Rheumatoid arthritis or Osteoarthritis affecting the hands.

A novel computer gaming hand exercise regimen has been designed for people with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or Osteo arthritis (OA) affecting the hands. The design allows a broad range of common objects of daily life to be seamlessly transformed into 'therapeutic' input devices by instrumenting with a small motion sense mouse. Based on individual abilities and treatment needs, objects are selected to train specific fine/ gross dexterous functions. The object manipulations (therapeutic exercises) are then used to control and play any commercially available computer game, making practice challenging and engaging.

The study is of six weeks duration comparing the computer gaming and conventional hand exercises in thirty people diagnosed with RA or OA affecting the hands. The investigators hypothesize that the game based exercises will improve hand function and reduce pain/stiffness and be feasible compared to the conventional hand exercises.A mixed-effect repeated measures analysis of variance will be conducted to test pre to post treatment outcomes. This will be the first study to evaluate the therapeutic effects and feasibility of the computer gaming hand exercise regimen in people with RA or OA.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women
• Aged between 30-70 years
• Clinical diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis or Osteoarthritis of hands according to American college of rheumatology criteria
• Must own a home computer and have basic working knowledge of computers.
• Present with scores ranging from 0-75 on self-reported hand function ability with the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severely deformed finger joints
• Neurological conditions of dominant side upper limb
• Trauma in wrist or hand
• Upper limb surgeries in previous six months
• Co-existing hand conditions in the dominant hand
• Problems with vision or hearing
• Recent changes in drug regimen (Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or corticosteroids <3 months)
• Major diseases of heart or lungs or liver
• DASH scores 0-75.