#GLOVES FOR ARTHRITIC HANDS TRIAL#

The researchers say that healthcare professionals should not recommend special gloves the cheaper alternatives are just as effective. Special arthritis gloves are no more effective than looser-fitting alternatives in reducing hand pain and stiffness, new work has shown. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and reviewer(s) at the time of publication. This is a plain English summary of an original research article.

Alison Hammond, Professor of Rheumatology Rehabilitation These will be cheaper for people to buy themselves, and the NHS will also save money, as we now know that the arthritis gloves are not value for money. Gloves like this give some feeling of support, comfort, and provide warmth when people need it. So what’s the impact of this? We recommend that rather than using special arthritis gloves, which can cost up to £25 a pair, that people with arthritis could try using an ordinary, lightweight, thin, fingerless glove, including 3 – 5% lycra, which are a close fit. Most people who had either sort of glove thought they helped, but it was the warmth from the gloves that they most often said was what helped them. But there was no real difference between the two types of glove. Both gloves had similar effects: pain and stiffness reduced a little, and being able to use the hands improved a little. We questioned people before, and again three months later, about the effects of the gloves. Half got the arthritis gloves applying pressure and warmth, and the other half got gloves that are a looser fit, so no pressure, but the same amount of warmth. Over 200 people with arthritis took part.

#GLOVES FOR ARTHRITIC HANDS TRIAL#

But we found there was very little research evidence that they work, so we ran a randomised controlled trial to test the arthritis gloves, funded by the National Institute of Health Research. These may help reduce hand pain, and they can be worn during the daytime or at night, when hands are painful. They are thin, fingerless, nylon and lycra gloves, which apply pressure to the hands and also keep them warm. Arthritis gloves are often provided on the NHS, or people buy them themselves. People with arthritis have hand pain, often causing problems doing everyday activities and work. Hello, I’m Alison Hammond and I’m a Professor of Rheumatology Rehabilitation at the University of Salford.

Gloves for arthritic hands