Comparing the Effect of Combined Therapy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Ice Massage with Combined Therapy of Therapeutic Ultrasound with Paraffin Wax Bath in Treating Trigger Finger

Abstract

Introduction: Trigger finger is a common hand disorder characterized by locking, catching, or clicking withrange of motion of the affected finger. Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness ofcombined therapy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and ice massage to the combined therapyof therapeutic ultrasound (US) and paraffin wax bath in treating trigger finger. Method: 19 patients wereassigned to the US + wax bath group while the remaining 10 were assigned to ESWT + ice massage group.The effectiveness of the treatment was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) to measure pain score andQuick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick DASH) questionnaire to assess the functionalityof the affected limb at 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th week after the initial treatment. Results: The US + wax bathgroup had reduced more pain and improved more hand function than the ESWT + ice massage group forall visits. Conclusion: This study was not able to prove the hypothesis that ESWT + ice massage group wasbetter than US + wax bath in treating trigger finger. However, a similar study like this but with larger samplesize, individualized protocols for ESWT participants, longer study durations and conducted by experts inESWT is able to show which treatment is better in treating trigger finger.