Motivation for rehabilitation therapy

CMC1 osteoarthritis is the second most common site of osteoarthritis in the hand, with a broad impact on quality of life and mental health. A valid and widely used treatment option is trapeziectomy. In order to prevent pain and decreased hand function after surgery, extensive rehabilitation therapy is required. Unfortunately, a lot of patients fail to comply to the rehabilitation therapy due to a lack of motivation, resulting in delayed rehabilitation and healing process. As a result additional health related costs are faced by both patient and society. Research has shown that motivated people perform better in rehabilitation programs than less motivated people. It is therefore hypothesized that using the concept of “possible selves” compels patients to look ahead and enhance intrinsic motivation for rehabilitation. This double blinded randomized controlled trial will study the effect of “possible selves” on the compliance with rehabilitation therapy.

The effect on compliance with rehabilitation therapy after trapeziectomy, in patients assessing their possible selves before starting rehabilitation therapy, by evaluating PROMS and compliance.
Hypothesis: that patients assessing their possible selves will be more compliant and have better PROMS at the end of rehabilitation therapy.

All participating patients will be asked to answer the qDASH and EQ-5D before and, at 6, 9 and 12 weeks, after trapeziectomy

One group will be asked to assess their possible selves in advance of the rehabilitation therapy