Comparing High-Intensity Laser Therapy and Exercise for Treating Thumb Osteoarthritis

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating the use of high-energy laser therapy to treat thumb osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that affects the hand and causes pain, deformity, and limited movement. This condition can significantly limit daily activities, especially when it involves the trapeziometacarpal joint, known as rhizarthrosis. Many treatments like medications, exercises, physical therapy, and orthoses help manage hand osteoarthritis, but surgery may be needed when these conservative treatments fail. The study compares two approaches high-energy multimodal laser therapy using the Ixyon XP device, which delivers multiple wavelengths and is administered in 10 sessions on alternate days, versus a group performing home exercises designed to improve thumb joint stability over 4 weeks. Both groups will use a brace during the day for 4 weeks. The laser therapy aims to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and relieve pain by stimulating cellular activity in the affected tissues. Participants will be monitored for pain relief at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment begins. Researchers will also assess functional recovery, disability improvement, and the participants perception of clinical progress over 6 months. The study involves regular evaluations of pain using a visual scale and assessments of hand function and disability to understand the benefits of high-energy laser therapy compared to exercise alone.

High-Energy Laser in the Conservative Treatment of Rhizarthrosis