Treating synovitis: study shows normal wrist activity OK
26 September 2003
Immobilising the wrist after an injection (into the joint) of glucocorticoid for synovitis is no better than continuing with normal activity after the injection, Swedish researchers have shown.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and wrist synovitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the joints in the wrist) who received the injections and continued with normal movement of the wrist (did not wear an elastic wrist orthosis) had similar outcomes to those who wore an elastic wrist orthosis for 48 hours after the injections.
Both groups recorded similar levels of pain, function, movement range, joint circumference and grip strength after 6 months.
All of the 117 participants were treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs throughout the follow-up period, but the researchers did not define which ones (Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2003; 62: 1013-15).
Dr Scott Masters, vice-president of the Australian Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine, said these injections, while 'fairly good' at relieving pain, did not strengthen tissue.
'After having steroid injections, patients want to overuse [the limb] because their pain is relieved and if they become too active too quickly, then they might tear something, especially tendon tissue,' he said.
'But you also don't want to restrict movement completely because any time you do that, then you have the problem of stiffness and weakness. So it is great that there is no [adverse effect] to the wrist if used in a sensible fashion.'
Last Reviewed: 29 September 2003
- 1. Medical Observer Weekly 26/9/03
