Jerosch‐Herold 2011.

Methods	Multi‐centre (5‐centre) UK study Randomised controlled trial Recruitment between October 2007 and January 2009
Participants	154 participants 120 male:34 female Mean age: 67.2 years in splint group; 67.5 years in no splint group Inclusion criteria: yes: Patients with Dupuytren’s disease affecting ≥ 1 digit of either hand and requiring fasciectomy or dermofasciectomy were invited to participate. Patients had to be over 18 years of age and competent to give fully informed written consent Exclusion criteria: yes: contracture of the thumb or first webspace
Interventions	Static splint for 3 months postop vs No splint (apart from participants in this group who had a net loss ≥ 15 degrees at the PIPJ and/or a net loss ≥ 20 degrees at the MCPJ of the operated fingers, in which case a splint was given)
Outcomes	DASH PROM: 3 months, 6 months, 12 months No differences between groups Total active extension: 3 months, 6 months, 12 months No differences between groups Total active flexion: 3 months, 6 months, 12 months No differences between groups Patient satisfaction: 3 months, 6 months, 12 months No differences between groups DASH reported by participants; other measurements performed by 2 trained research associates Complications described? no
Notes	Length of follow‐up: 12 months Low‐quality evidence due to risk of bias and imprecision Funded by Action Medical Research Charity; no conflicts of interest declared
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Randomisation process at central site not explained
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Central telephone cluster randomisation
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Attrition recorded and explained
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All outcomes reported
Other bias	Unclear risk	Cluster randomisation used in an unblinded study, but unclear it if would have introduced bias
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Not blinded
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Patient‐reported outcome measure unblinded but unclear whether likely to be biased; independent observer measured range of motion but unclear whether blinded