Effect of pressure garment work gloves on hand function in patients with hand burns: a pilot study

This study aims to compare the effects of pressure garment work gloves (PGWGs) and standard-pressure garment gloves (SPGGs) on functional hand use in individuals with hand burns. A quasi-experimental, repeated-measure design was used. Each glove was worn for one week prior to testing. Grip strength, hand function, functional sensation, and functional task scores were assessed. Participants were asked to report which glove they preferred and why. Two individuals with three burned hands underwent this study. Grip and pinch strengths and functional sensation were decreased overall with the PGWG. However, better performance was noted with functional tasks involving gross and static fine-motor movements, and simple, dynamic fine-motor movements. These findings were found to be significant using a Cochran's test for related observations. Moreover, there was unanimous participant preference for the PGWG. In conclusion, use of PGWGs facilitated select functional performance, warranting further investigation.