Hands are an essential part of almost every aspect of our daily lives. Daily tasks such as driving, cooking, dressing, eating and grooming require both hands. Hand injuries are among the most common injuries in the United States. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hand is the second most commonly injured body part on the job. Engaging in hand therapy after a hand injury has been proven to help patients recover. Patients who participated in hand therapy after a wrist fracture experienced significantly greater increases in wrist range of motion and grip strength six weeks later compared to patients who did not receive treatment, according to recent research. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of participating in hand therapy after a hand injury or surgery.

What is Hand Therapy?

Hand Therapy is a specialized field of physical rehabilitation for patients with upper extremity injuries or conditions. Hand therapy can be done by an occupational therapist (OT), physical therapist (PT), or certified hand therapist (CHT). Guided by the therapist’s clinical judgment and the patient’s goals, hand therapy employs a variety of therapeutic interventions to help patients regain their highest level of function.

When should you seek hand therapy?

People with injuries or conditions that affect the function of the hands, wrists, elbows, or shoulders will benefit from hand therapy. Often, after an injury, people experience pain, stiffness, swelling, and weakness, which can affect their ability to perform everyday tasks. Engaging in hand therapy after an injury provides the patient with a structured and individualized rehabilitation plan to promote optimal recovery and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.

Benefits of Hand Therapy After Injury or Surgery:

• Maximize range of motion: Hand therapists will use their experience and knowledge of injury protocols to safely facilitate improved range of motion through stretching, soft tissue mobilization, and exercises.
• Improve strength: Hand therapists have specialized equipment to exercise the muscles of the hand and wrist to ensure patients get optimal grip, pinch and wrist strength to resume activities like opening jars or carrying groceries.
• Supports fine motor coordination: After a hand or finger injury, fine motor activities such as typing, playing a musical instrument, or handling money can be a challenge. Hand therapy will address fine motor coordination through exercises and activity modifications based on the patient’s goals.
• Wound Care: Hand therapists specialize in wound care techniques, including stitch removal, burns, scar tissue loosening, and infection control.
• Splint: After some injuries or surgery, the affected body part needs to be immobilized for protection while it heals. Hand therapists have specialized training in splinting techniques. They have the ability to custom mold splints for patients to provide maximum protection and comfort.

Hand therapy can help!

If you have more questions about how to manage a hand injury, please contact your local Athletico clinic and schedule a free evaluation. Free assessments are available in-clinic or virtually through our telehealth platform.

Request a free evaluation

*Beneficiaries of programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA, and other federally funded programs are not eligible for free evaluations per federal guidelines.

The Athletico Blog is an educational resource written by Athletico staff. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the codes of ethics established by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the author alone, based on his expertise and experience. The content presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied upon in making personal health decisions.

source:
Watt CF, Taylor NF, Baskus K (2000) Do Colles fracture patients benefit from routine referral to physiotherapy after cast removal? Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 120:413–415
Quadlbauer S, Pezzei C, Jurkowitsch J, et al (2016) Early rehabilitation of distal radius fractures stabilized with volar locking plates: a prospective randomized pilot study. J Wrist Surg 06:102–112. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0036-1587317
https://www.assh.org/handcare/about-hand-therapy
Keeping the facts handy: 5 simple statistics to boost hand protection | 2017-10-01 | ISHN