Your Patient Has a 5-Year History of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Your patient has a 5-year history of rheumatoid arthritis.There are no obvious deformities,but during this current exacerbation of the disease,the wrist and MCP joints are swollen,red,tender,and warm.There is generally decreased ROM,pain during joint motion,and increased pain at the end of the available range of each joint.An appropriate short-term goal and intervention is:

A) Minimize deforming forces by maintaining ROM with gentle,passive stretching to the involved joints.
B) Maintain joint mobility and decrease pain by using grade I or II joint-oscillation techniques.
C) Increase muscle length by using contract-relax (hold-relax) techniques.
D) Control pain by imposing continuous rest and using splints on the wrists and hands.