Pharmacopuncture and joint movement manual therapy for post-traumatic phalangeal osteoarthritis: A case report

Introduction: Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a type of osteoarthritis that develops after ligament injury, meniscus injury, or fracture. Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for PTOA. This report describes the case of a 38-year-old man who suffered from PTOA of the right second distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint after practicing judo. Patient concerns: He visited the author's clinic at 3 months after the onset of symptoms. Symptoms included pain, limited motion, and joint enlargement of the right second DIP joint. Diagnosis: Partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament of the DIP was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging. As the symptoms appeared after the traumatic event, PTOA was diagnosed. Interventions: Intra-articular hominis placenta pharmacopuncture and joint movement manual therapy were performed on each visit. Altogether, 10 sessions were performed until the symptoms improved remarkably. Outcomes: Visual analogue scale score (VAS) for pain; Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (QuickDASH); joint circumference; and range of motion showed improvements at the end of the treatment. VAS decreased from 8.4 to 0.4, QuickDASH decreased from 44 to 13, joint circumference decreased from 5.5 to 5.4 cm, and range of motion was almost recovered, which was measured by the photographs. Lessons: There are not enough studies on phalangeal joint PTOA and its treatment. This case suggests pharmacopuncture and joint movement manual therapy as treatment options for phalangeal PTOA.