Campus Location
Abilene Campus (Residential)
Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
OTD Capstone
Department
Occupational Therapy
Degree
OTD
Faculty Advisor
Donna Walls
Site Mentor
Karen Lacy
Secondary Site Mentor (if needed)
Weldon Russo
Capstone Coordinator
Leslye Morris
Specialization
Clinical Practice Skills
Focus
Hand therapy
Abstract
This capstone project is based on the area of specialization of clinical practice skills paired with research to expand evidence behind the understudied intervention, casting motion to mobilize stiffness (CMMS). The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of CMMS for increasing active range of motion (AROM) and improving functional use of the hand. Two participants were selected based on pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. AROM was measured using goniometry of the targeted joints and measuring distance from the distal palmar crease (DPC) in composite finger flexion. Both participants demonstrated increased active composite flexion following CMMS implementation, ranging from a 32.7% to a 58.2% decrease in DPC distance across all digits. Additionally, they both reported functional improvements in hand use in meaningful daily tasks. The results of this study cannot be generalized due to the limitations of a small sample. However, the reported functional impact of CMMS on active hand motion can indicate clinically relevant improvements for these two cases. These findings support the pursuit of further investigation into CMMS effectiveness. Specific areas of future research identified in this project include the comparison of various cast materials in applying CMMS principles and the use of functional outcome measures in determining functional benefits from CMMS.
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