Effectiveness of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation therapy and strength training among post-menopausal women with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. A randomized trial.

• Improvements in disability scores were clinically relevant with both programs. • Mobility improved by 29% and pain was reduced by 57% in the combined program. • Strength improved in both groups but with a greater effect size in combined program. • Improvements in disability, pain, mobility and strength were maintained 1-month later. Thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC OA) greatly affects post-menopausal women. It is characterized by pain and functional deficits that limit the performance of activities of daily life and affect quality of life. Analyze the effects of 4/weeks strength training, with and without proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the disability among post-menopausal women with thumb CMC OA. Secondly, analyze the effects on pain, mobility, and strength. Superiority randomized clinical trial. 42 women were randomly allocated to strength training program (SEG, n = 21) and to a strength training plus PNF therapy program (PNFG, n = 21). The Disability (disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire), pain (visual analogue scale), mobility (Kapandji Test), and hand strength were evaluated pre, post intervention (at 4 weeks) and follow-up (at 8 weeks). Disability was significantly reduced in both groups after intervention, but reduction was statistically superior in PNFG (between-group mean difference [MD] = -16.69 points; CI = -21.56:-11.82; P <.001; d = 2.14). Similar results were observed for secondary outcomes: pain (MD = -2.03; CI = -2.83:-1.22; P <.001; d = 1.58), mobility (MD = 0.96; CI = 0.52:1.38; P <.001; d = 1.40) and strength (grip: MD = 3.47kg; CI = 1.25:5.69; P =.003; d = 0.97, palmar: MD = 0.97kg; CI = 0.14:1.80; P =.024; d = 0.72, tip: MD = 1.12kg; CI = 0.41:1.83; P =.003; d = 0.99 and key pinch: MD = 0.85kg; CI = 0.001:1.70; P =.049; d = 0.62). These improvements were maintained at follow-up. The combination of PNF exercises and strength training is more effective for reducing disability pain and improve mobility and strength in post-menopausal women with CMC OA than a programme based solely on strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]