NCT07754552Not yet recruiting
Development and Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the SMART-HAND Protocol for Hand Rehabilitation in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 14 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) frequently affects the hand and wrist, resulting in pain, reduced joint stability, impaired proprioception, muscle weakness, and limitations in daily activities. Although conventional rehabilitation primarily focuses on range of motion and strengthening exercises, sensorimotor impairments such as proprioceptive deficits are often underaddressed. The SMART-HAND (Sensory, Massage, Approximation, ROM, Training = Strengthening + Perturbation) protocol was developed as a structured, mechanism-based rehabilitation program to improve proprioception, joint stability, motor control, and hand function. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the SMART-HAND protocol in individuals with RA by comparing its effects on hand function, proprioception, pain, dexterity, muscle strength, and functional performance with conventional rehabilitation and a control group.
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 132 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 5 Aug 2026
- Start date
- 1 Oct 2026
- Primary completion date
- 28 Dec 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
- Diseases
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- NCT number
- NCT07754552
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 132
- From 1 Oct 2026 to the primary completion date, 28 Dec 2027
- No sites listed in no country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study design.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Individuals who have undergone hand surgery within the past six months.
- Individuals who have received corticosteroid treatment within the past month.
- Participants who change their medication dosage or medication class during the study period will be excluded from the study.
Other illness
- Individuals with a history of upper extremity fracture within the past six months.
- Individuals with other musculoskeletal pain conditions involving the muscles and/or joints.
- Individuals diagnosed with a neurological disease that may affect sensory or motor function.
- Individuals diagnosed with another rheumatic disease.
Other
- Individuals who are unable to fully cooperate with the assessment procedures.
- Pregnant women.
- Individuals who are illiterate.
- Withdrawal/Discontinuation Criteria
- Participants who miss more than 10% of the intervention sessions will be excluded from the study.
- Participants will have the right to withdraw from the study at any time and for any reason.
Who the study is looking for
- Participants will be 18 years of age or older.
- Participants will have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis for at least five years.
- Participants will be referred by a rheumatologist.
- Participants will have been on a stable medication regimen for the past three months.
- Participants will have no history of diabetes mellitus.
- Participants will have no other conditions affecting sensory function.
- Participants will provide informed consent to participate in the study.
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.