EFFECTS OF NERVE GLIDING EXERCISES ON ULNAR-SIDED WRIST PAIN

Investigation of the Effects of Nerve Gliding Exercises on Pain, Function, Joint Position Sense and Weight-Bearing Tolerance in Patients With Ulnar-Sided Wrist Pain

The purpose of this study is to learn if adding specific "nerve gliding" exercises to a standard physical therapy program helps reduce pain and improve hand function in people with ulnar-sided (pinky side) wrist pain.

Participants who have had wrist pain for at least 3 months will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups will receive a standard treatment program that includes patient education, activity modification, massage, and ice application. One group will also perform specific nerve gliding exercises for the ulnar nerve.

Researchers will evaulate pain level, hand function, strength, weight-bearing tolerance, and joint position sense at the beginning and after 4 weeks of treatment to see if the exercises provide extra benefit. The study treatment period lasts for 4 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Ulnar Wrist Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Conventional Physiotherapy; Other: Ulnar Nerve Gliding Exercises

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 34
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ceren Zorluogullari; Phone Number: +905068674887; Email: cerenzorluo@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Recruiting
    • Gazi University Health Sciences Faculty Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department
    • Contact: Ceren Zorluogullari; Phone Number: +905068674887; Email: cerenzorluo@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being over 18 years of age.
• History of ulnar-sided wrist pain lasting for at least 3 months.
• Diagnosis of ulnar-sided wrist pain confirmed by a hand surgeon, which may include: fractures or dislocations of the 4th and 5th metacarpals, hamate, triquetrum, lunate, pisiform, distal ulna, or distal radius; Lunotriquetral ligament tears; Kienböck's disease; Ulnar impaction syndrome; Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) injury; carpal instabilities; DRUJ instability; pisotriquetral arthritis; DRUJ arthritis; extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon subluxation; or tendinitis of the ECU, extensor digiti minimi, and flexor carpi ulnaris.
• Adequate cognitive level (scoring 22 or above on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of other diseases involving the hand and wrist (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren's disease).
• History of traumatic injury to the hand, wrist, and/or forearm within the last 3 months.
• History of surgery on the hand, wrist, and/or forearm within the last 6 months.
• Currently receiving treatment for hand and wrist problems.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group; Participants in this group will receive standard treatment consisting of patient education, activity modification, massage, and ice application for 4 weeks.	Other: Conventional Physiotherapy; Includes patient education, activity modification, classic massage along the ulnar nerve trace, and ice application (10-12 minutes) at the end of each session.
Experimental: Mobilization Group; Participants in this group will receive standard treatment including patient education, activity modification, massage, and ice application. In addition, they will perform ulnar nerve gliding exercises for 4 weeks.	Other: Conventional Physiotherapy; Includes patient education, activity modification, classic massage along the ulnar nerve trace, and ice application (10-12 minutes) at the end of each session.; Other: Ulnar Nerve Gliding Exercises; Ulnar nerve gliding exercises will be performed twice a week in the clinic for 4 weeks. Participants will also perform these exercises as a home program 3 times daily.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain Level	Pain level will be evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain at rest, during activity, and at night.	From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Wrist Function	Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) questionnaire (0-100 scale, higher scores indicate greater disability)	Baseline and 4 weeks.
Grip Strength	Measured with a Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer in kg (average of 3 trials)	Baseline and 4 weeks
Wrist Strength	Wrist flexion and extension strength will be measured with handheld dynamometer.	Baseline and 4 weeks
Weight Bearing Tolerance	Measured in kg using an analog scale where participants apply maximum force with the wrist.	Baseline and 4 weeks
Joint Position Sense	Measured as degrees of deviation from a 30° target position using a goniometer.	Baseline and 4 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Gazi University
• Collaborators: Ankara University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 23, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 14, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 14, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 22, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 14, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025-1761

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No