Table 1 Treatment diary

4

Information about hand osteoarthritis.

5–7

Information about ergonomic principles and use of assistive devices, illustrated with photos of ergonomic techniques and the use of the five assistive devices provided as part of the occupational therapy intervention.

8

Information about the rationale for using orthoses, with pictures of the day and night ortohoses.

9

Pictures of activities performed with the day orthosis.

10

Information about the rationale for hand exercising, and general advice regarding how to design an exercise plan, the importance of sitting comfortably, remembering to breathe and to keep the shoulders low while performing the hand exercises, and instructions for the warm-up period. Information regarding the weekly frequency, number of repetitions and intensity of each exercise, and how to adjust the programme in the exercise period.

11

Exercise plan, in which participants will be encouraged to write down when (day and time) they will exercise.

12–13

The exercise programme.

14–17

Four pages (one for each week), each containing

• three sections with an 11-point numeric rating scale in which the participants will report date and length of exercise session, rate their pain immediately after exercising (0 = no pain and 10 = maximum pain), and give comments (including registration of adverse events)

• one section with each day of the week where participants will record days and nights with using orthosis and length of use (day and night) in hours and minutes

18

A text stating that “you have now finished 1/3 of the programme”, together with a cartoon and an exercise plan which the participant may use if she/he needs to revise her/his original plan.

19–22

Four more pages (one for each week) for recording of hand exercising, pain immediately after exercising, and the use of day and night orthoses.

23

A text stating that “you have now finished 2/3 of the programme”, together with a cartoon and an exercise plan which the participant may use if she/he needs to revise her/his original plan.

24–27

Four more pages (one for each week) for documenting hand exercises, pain immediately after exercising, and the use of day and night orthoses.

28

A last page with a text encouraging the participant to continue exercising two to three times a week, and a reminder that they must bring the treatment diary to the next occupational therapy appointment.