Our hands are our livelihoods. It is how we make a living; express love; live out our passions.
Injuries to the hand and upper limb can strip us from our abilities to perform our day-to-day tasks independently.
When sustaining a hand injury, it is important to be proactive in your approach in order to secure the best outcome possible.
The Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC)(March 2009) defines Hand Therapy as: “the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle. It is a merging of occupational and physical therapy theory and practice that combines comprehensive knowledge of the structure of the upper limb with function and activity.”
Rehabilitation of the arm or hand is needed:
- After surgery to the arm or hand.
- As a means of conservative or non-surgical management of a hand or upper limb condition.
- As a preventative measure in high functioning individuals eg. musicians and sportsmen/women.
Patients are often referred by their treating doctor to an experienced Occupational Therapist. The therapy process can commence while being admitted in hospital or on an outpatient basis.
It is not uncommon for patients to seek help directly from the Occupational Therapist for general hand conditions. The therapist will in turn refer patients to a GP or specialists if their assessment warrants further investigation or management.
- Partial or complete amputations of a hand and/or arm
- Burns
- Head injuries and strokes affecting upper limb function.
- Congenital Anomalies
- Repetitive strain conditions e.g. Tennis Elbow.
- Crush Injuries
- Dupuytron’s Contracture
- Flexor Tendon Injuries
- Extensor Tendon Injuries
- Fractures of the arm; wrist; hand and/ or fingers.
- Dislocations and joint instabilities of arm and hand.
- Ligament sprains; tears and repairs of the arm.
- Hand infections
- Rhumatoid Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Pain-related syndromes: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome etc.
- Peripheral nerve compression & Disease: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, Cyclist Palsy etc.
- Peripheral nerve injuries: Brachial Plexus Injuries; Radial Nerve Injuries; Median Nerve Injuries; Ulnar Nerve Injuries.
- Residual stiffness and weakness due to injury.
- Trigger Finger
- Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis
When managing burn injuries, a proactive approach is essential in facilitating adequate organisation of scar tissue as early as possible.
Effective rehab strategies assist with residual pain management after a burn injury; it enhances the cosmetic outcome of scar tissue and promotes mobility of scar tissue which assists with functional independence.
Grounded Rehab is passionate about designing custom fitted pressure garments to address scar tissue. The practice can assist with providing various silicone sheeting options to aid scar management.
Patients and families are educated in scar massage techniques to facilitate the reorganisation of scar tissue.
The practice also designs and fabricate custom fitted splints to assist with the elongation of scar tissue either to prevent or treat contracted scar tissue.
