Uso de cucharas con mango engrosado en la mejora del desempeño para la alimentacion en pacientes con artritis reumatoide

Abstract

Introduction/objectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) primarily affects the hand joints, limiting independence for feeding and requiring the use of assistive technology. The thickening of the handles on the spoon is used as a treatment strategy. However, few studies address how much it helps in RA. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the effect of the use of thickened handle spoons on time, performance quality, and perceived hand effort in the improvement of feeding in users simulating RA with restricted hand movements. Materials and methodsA quasi-experimental design was used in which RA was simulated with a simulator glove, comparing feeding experiences with regular spoons. ResultsUsing spoons with thickened handles had statistically significant effects on the reduction of perceived effort when eating different foods (p=.005); however, there was no significant difference between the number of times food was dropped and the time to complete the activity (p=.78). ConclusionsSpoons with thickened handles reduce the level of perceived effort, which allows for better joint protection and pain management. It also equals the time and efficiency of eating with a conventional spoon.