Influences of purposeful activity versus rote exercise on improving pain and hand function in pediatric burn

To explore the influences of purposeful activities versus rote exercises on pain, range of motion and hand function in children with hand burn.

Thirty patients had superficial and deep partial and full-thickness burns, including hand and wrist with less than 25% total body surface area (TBSA) was included in this study. The patients were randomly allocated to one of the two groups; purposeful activity group (PA-group, n=15) and rote exercises group (Rex-group, n=15). Outcomes measured were pain severities using the self-report faces scale and analogue scale (VAS), total active motion (TAM) using standard dorsal hand goniometer, and hand function using Jebsen-Taylor hand function test (JTHFT). Measurements were recorded 72 h post-burn, after 1, 2, and 3 weeks, at the time of discharge and at 3 months follow up.

In PA-group, results regarding to pain modulation (p<0.05), TAM (p<0.01), and JTHFT (p<0.01) was statistically significance in comparison to Rex-group.

This study supports the belief that the purposeful activity based on playing, and games can reduce pain, improve hand movement and functions better than rote exercise. As well as its reusability and versatility, suggesting another option in the rehabilitation of children with hand burn.