A RCT of Supportive Finger Tape for PIPJ Osteoarthritis

Oesteoarthritis of the joints of the finger(s) is a common problem. The first-line treatment involves pain killers taken either as tablets, gels, or patches. Secondly, some joints are amenable to injections of steroids and anaesthetic agents. Finally, as a last resort, some joints may be fused or replaced with prosthetic joints by Hand Surgeons. We are investigating whether supportive taping of the painful finger joint reduces pain and improves function, and whether this treatment could be used to substitute pain killers, injections or surgery. We hypothesise that supportive finger tape may improve pain, improve the stability of the joint and thereby improve day-to-day hand function too. We will investigate this through a two-group parallel randomised controlled trial whereby one group will receive the treatment taping and the other group will receive a theoretically placebo taping configuration. We will measure pain daily, hand function and adverse events.