Effectiveness of Conservative Exercises for Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis with and Without a Mobile App: An Observational Study

Background: Thumb carpo-metacarpal arthritis, a form of arthritis at the base of the thumb, causes pain, swelling, and limited mobility, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise protocol, comparing standard treatment with an app-assisted approach. Methods: Two groups of 10 patients each were randomly assigned standard treatment or standard treatment plus a Hand Rehab App. Both groups received physiotherapy sessions over three phases spanning three months. Results: Both groups showed improvement, with Group 0 showing more significant improvements in several variables. However, the clinical significance of these improvements differed between groups. Discussion: Group 0 had significant improvements in FLEX IF, FLEX MF TT, and VAS AT NIGHT, while Group 1 had significant improvements in FLEX MF and TT. Group 1 showed greater improvement in JAMAR and TT, while both groups showed similar improvements in other variables. Overall, Group 1 showed more improvement in key measurements. Conclusion: This study suggests that adding a specific app to exercise therapy may enhance outcomes for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis patients, particularly in terms of pain relief and functionality.