ultrasound therapy combined with cassava wax hot immersion group and ultrasound therapy only

ultrasound therapy

participants sat in a comfortable position with their hand placed on a pillow or cushion. Ultrasound gel was applied to the base of the painful finger, and ultrasound therapy was performed for 5 minutes at a frequency of 3 MHz and an intensity of 0.5-1 W/cm. Afterward, the hand was cleaned and immersed in cassava wax heated to 125°F (51.7°C). The affected hand was dipped into the wax for 3 seconds, then removed. This process was repeated for 10 cycles. The hand was then wrapped in a plastic bag and a towel for 15 minutes before the wax was removed and peeled off.

This assesses the current pain severity using a 10-centimeter scale. Scores range from 0 to 10, where the far left end of the scale indicates "no pain at all" (score of 0), and the far right end indicates "worst pain imaginable" (score of 10). Participants were asked to mark an 'X' on the scale at the point corresponding to their current pain severity.

Participants were seated, and the assessor identified the location of the myofascial trigger point. This spot was marked with a washable pen. An algometer (a device used to measure pain threshold) was then applied to the marked trigger point at a rate of approximately 1 kg/second. Participants were instructed to signal immediately upon feeling the onset of pain (pain threshold). The applied pressure ranged from 0 to 11 kg/cm. Each participant underwent three measurements, with a 3-minute rest interval between each. The average of these three measurements was then calculated.

Participants were interviewed regarding the frequency of finger locking symptoms and the number of finger locking episodes per day.

This is a questionnaire designed to assess the level of upper extremity impairment. It evaluates the functional ability of the wrist and finger joints, comprising 30 questions related to the patient's daily life activities and work capacity.