Thumb position sense in base-of-thumb (trapeziometacarpal) osteoarthritis

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This cross-sectional case-control study compares thumb proprioception in people with trapeziometacarpal (TMC) osteoarthritis and matched healthy controls. Participants aged 25–75 undergo joint position sense testing at the TMC, MCP, and IP joints and pinch aperture proprioception measurements, alongside hand strength, sensory tests, and questionnaires about pain and emotional status. TMC OA severity is classified by Eaton-Littler radiographic stages I–IV and relationships between proprioception and demographic, motor, sensory, and emotional factors are analyzed. All assessments are performed in person and no treatment is provided.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria (TMC OA group):

* Voluntary participation
* Radiographic Eaton-Littler stage I-IV confirmed by an orthopedic specialist
* Symptom duration ≥6 months
* Age 25-75 years
* Pain intensity ≥4/10 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) during daily activities at assessment
* Ability to actively perform ≥40° palmar abduction
* Adequate cognitive capacity to understand and perform study procedures (for participants aged ≥65 years: Montreal Cognitive Assessment \[MoCA\] score ≥21)

Inclusion Criteria (Control group):

* Voluntary participation
* No thumb pain
* Age 25-75 years
* No clinical signs of TMC OA
* Negative provocation tests
* Adequate cognitive capacity to understand and perform study procedures (for participants aged ≥65 years: MoCA score ≥21)

Exclusion Criteria (TMC OA group):

* 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
* Peripheral nerve disorders affecting proprioception (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, dorsal radial nerve irritation, cervical radiculopathy, double crush syndrome)
* Concomitant upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., trigger finger, De Quervain's disease)
* Generalized joint hypermobility (Beighton score ≥4)
* Neuromuscular, systemic peripheral neuropathic, autoimmune, rheumatic, or infectious diseases
* Active malignancy
* Neurological conditions affecting pain perception
* Visual impairment
* Pregnancy

Exclusion Criteria (Control group):

-Exclusion criteria identical to the TMC OA group

Where it's running

• Hacettepe University
  Ankara, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Çiğdem Ayhan Kuru, PT, PhD — Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Department of Orthopedic Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
• Study coordinator: Merve Sümeyye Yılmaz, PT
• Email: mervesumeyyeyilmaz@icloud.com
• Phone: +90 507 843 82 69

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

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• Corticosteroid versus saline injections for thumb osteoarthritis

  This study will test whether saline injections work better than corticosteroid (triamcinolone) injections to reduce pain and improve hand function in adults with thumb (trapeziometacarpal) osteoarthritis.

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.