HAND & UPPER EXTREMITY THERAPY

Upper extremity disability can result in disruption of many if not all activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Occupational therapy professionals receive a strong educational component in psychosocial development and pathology. This provides the basis for understanding the impact of upper extremity dysfunction on key daily activities and roles. A major focus of occupational therapy is rehabilitation related to impairments of the upper extremity (i.e., shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand). Treatments can be preventative, centered on the management of acute or chronic pain, or involve sensory re-education after nerve injury, among other things.

From a practical perspective, occupational therapy practitioners working in the area of upper-extremity rehabilitation achieve competency in adjunct areas of intervention, which may include:

  • Design and fabrication of selected orthoses for post-surgical, post-injury, or long-term use
  • Ergonomic principles
  • Diagnostic and post-surgical protocols
  • Wound care
  • Application of physical agent modalities
  • Manual therapy
  • Biofeedback techniques
  • Taping techniques
  • Compression therapy

A hand therapy specialist provides:

  • Accurate assessments, immediate care and effective treatment to reduce treatment time
  • A continuum of care eliminating the need for multiple medical providers
  • Faster recovery results in decreased medical costs
  • Functional outcomes ensuring a faster return to work and productive lifestyle
  • The most comprehensive care for their patients

Benefits of Hand Therapy:

  • Decrease pain
  • Improve range of motion
  • Promote faster wound healing
  • Increase strength and endurance
  • Implement post-surgical protocols
  • Facilitate independent function
  • Patient education on home programs
  • Increase return to work potential
  • Evaluate need for assistive devices
  • Improve patients overall quality of life

Common Injuries include:

  • carpal tunnel syndrome
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • rotator cuff injuries
  • fibromyalgia
  • golfer and tennis elbow
  • post hand/wrist/elbow/shoulder fracture
  • post CVA/stroke
  • most sports injuries

CUSTOM SPLINTING

Orthotics and the development of custom splints deals with the science of support and/or bracing of weak or ineffective muscles or joints. Each individual case is different and therefore your splint with need custom-molded and adjusted to your needs. Custom splints are also used to align, prevent or correct deformities of a body part or to assist in strengthening a physical weakness (such as a fracture) or improve the functioning of movable parts of the body.