Thumb Proprioception in Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis
ConditionTrapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age25-75
SponsorHacettepe University
About this trial
This study looks at people who have osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb. It examines how well the thumb can sense its position and movement.
The study has three goals:
1. To compare these measurements between people with thumb base osteoarthritis and healthy people. 2. To find out whether this ability changes from milder to more advanced levels of osteoarthritis. 3. To explore whether this ability is related to factors such as basic personal characteristics, thumb/hand muscle strength and hand use, pain and touch sensation, and emotional factors like fear of movement, anxiety, and depression.
This is an observational study. No treatment is given. Participants complete thumb measurements and several tests/questionnaires.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Voluntary participation
Radiographic Eaton-Littler stage I-IV confirmed by an orthopedic specialist
Symptom duration ≥6 months
Age 25-75 years
Disqualifiers
Inability to abduct the thumb beyond 40° due to severe pain/deformity (especially advanced stage III-IV)
Acute trauma or prior surgery of the hand/wrist
Conservative treatment for hand/thumb pain in the same extremity within the previous 6 months
Current use of anti-inflammatory medication
Trial population
Adults aged 25-75 years with trapeziometacarpal (TMC) osteoarthritis and healthy controls will be included in this cross-sectional case-control study. The TMC OA group will be radiographically classified according to the Eaton-Littler staging system (Stages I-IV). The target sample is 100 participants in the OA group (20 per stage) and 20 healthy controls. Participants will be recruited from the Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Department of Orthopedic Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey). All participants will undergo standardized assessments of thumb proprioception and related clinical measures.
Trial design
Design model
Case-control
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Treatments tested in this trial
Thumb Proprioception Assessment
Other interventionThis is an observational study. All participants undergo a standardized thumb proprioception assessment performed by the same assessor. Proprioception is evaluated using (1) joint position sense error at the thumb trapeziometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, and interphalangeal joints, and (2) pinch aperture proprioception error. No therapeutic intervention is delivered; assessments are for measurement purposes only.
Treatment groups
100 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: TMC OA Group (Eaton-Littler Stages I-IV)1 intervention
Group B: Healthy Control Group1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Joint Position Sense (JPS)
Thumb JPS was assessed using a joint position reproduction test at the TMC, metacarpophalangeal (MCP), and interphalangeal (IP) joints using a standard universal goniometer. Target positions were: TMC abduction at 20°, 30°, and 40°, TMC adduction at 20° and 30°; MCP flexion at 20°; and IP flexion at 20°. Each target was tested three times. JPS performance was quantified as the angular error between the target angle and the actively reproduced angle, summarized as the mean error across the three trials (degrees), with higher values indicating poorer proprioception.
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)2
Pinch Aperture Proprioception
Pinch aperture proprioception was assessed using a pinch aperture reproduction test with a custom-built modified goniometer-based device with reported validity and reliability. The device included circular fingertip pads to standardize thumb-index placement. Two target apertures (15° and 30°) were tested, selected to represent functional pinch apertures for common objects, such as a large medication container (approximately 3.5 cm diameter) and a standard drinking glass (approximately 7 cm diameter), respectively. For each target, three trials were performed, and angular error was computed as the difference between target and actively reproduced aperture; the mean error across trials was used (degrees), with higher values indicating greater impairment. Bidirectional testing (30°→15° and 15°→30°) was performed as described in the protocol.
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)Secondary outcomes
1
Joint Mobility
Joint mobility of the thumb was assessed by measuring active range of motion (ROM) of the trapeziometacarpal (TMC), metacarpophalangeal (MCP), and interphalangeal (IP) joints using a standard goniometer. For the TMC joint, abduction, adduction, flexion, extension, and opposition were evaluated. Flexion and extension ROM of the MCP and IP joints were also measured. All joint mobility values were recorded in degrees, with higher values indicating greater joint mobility.
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)2
Opposition
Thumb opposition was additionally evaluated using the Kapandji opposition score, which grades the maximal opposition achieved by the thumb pulp on a 10-point scale. A score of 1 corresponds to contact with the radial side of the proximal phalanx of the index finger, whereas a score of 10 corresponds to contact with the distal palmar crease of the little finger.
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)3
Re-Opposition
Thumb re-opposition (reposition ability) was assessed as the minimal contact point reached during return from maximal opposition, recorded using the Kapandji opposition scale (0-10).
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)4
Hypermobility
Generalized joint hypermobility was assessed using the Beighton Hypermobility Score. This nine-item scoring system evaluates joint laxity at multiple anatomical sites, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 9. Higher scores indicate greater joint laxity, and individuals with a score of 4 or higher were classified as hypermobile.
Time frame
Baseline (single assessment at study visit)Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov