Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Email: a. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4. Hand pain and function limitations are common in rheumatoid arthritis RA and hand osteoarthritis HOA.
Provision of arthritis compression gloves to relieve hand symptoms is increasing in occupational therapy. Research evaluating arthritis gloves dates to the s, focussing on night-wear of full-length finger gloves in RA. This survey examined glove provision in contemporary clinical practice in the United Kingdom. They were advised not to wear gloves continually in the day, and regularly perform hand exercises and monitor for potential adverse effects, for example, skin discolouration.
Therapists commonly provide replacement gloves as these are often used long-term. Prescription of arthritis gloves has changed considerably in the last 30 years, with open-finger gloves provided to a wider range of people with arthritis, for a broader range of clinical reasons.
Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, hand therapy, arthritis gloves, orthoses, occupational therapy. For over 40 years, arthritis gloves also called compression or therapy gloves have been prescribed to people with rheumatoid arthritis RA and hand osteoarthritis HOA in the United Kingdom UK , North America and Europe. They are also sold commercially to people with arthritis worldwide.
Most designs of arthritis gloves include elastane i. Lycra or Spandex within the fabric to apply external compression. As with any glove, glove fabric can also increase warmth in the hands. Pressure and warmth can therefore reduce hand symptoms. There were several small i. A narrative review concluded there is evidence that arthritis gloves for RA lead to hand symptom improvement, that is, in nocturnal hand pain, stiffness and swelling, but do not improve hand function.
