03 Nov Hand Therapy: What Conditions do we See?
Hand Therapy: What Conditions do we See?
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If you are suffering from a condition affecting your hand or upper limb, you may benefit from hand therapy. Here at Pro-Active Physio, our specialist physiotherapists offer bespoke advice and treatment plans to help you rehabilitate the area. Restricted hand movement is so debilitating and it can make doing everyday tasks more difficult. So, whether it’s your joint, bone or surrounding soft tissues, we can help.
To book your initial consultation, call 01386 298058.
What are the conditions we see for Hand Therapy?
Our specialist hand therapist, Jane, is highly experienced in a comprehensive range of conditions. From arthritis to post-operative rehabilitation, she will be able to help ease pain and assess the best course of action for your unique needs. Plus, if necessary, she can fit bespoke hand splints on-site. The list below is just some of the most common issues we can treat.
To find out more about how we can help you, please call us on 01386 298058.
1. Tendon Disorders
We often see two main tendon disorders; trigger finger and de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Trigger Finger causes pain on the palmar aspect of the thumb and fingers. You may experience worse pain in the mornings and a snapping or catching sensation. Symptoms of de Quervain’s include pain, swelling and sometimes cysts on the thumb side of the wrist.
At your initial hand therapy appointment, we’ll carry out a full assessment and physical exam of the area. This will identify tenderness, triggering or locked fingers. We’ll then curate a bespoke treatment plan to resolve the issue.
2. Nerve Disorders
Some of the most common nerve disorders in the hand include carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel causes pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm, and may have been caused by a range of different factors such as repetitive use, obesity, pregnancy and diabetes. Taking a pro-active approach to treatment is so important as the condition can worsen over time.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is where the ulnar nerve is injured, causing pain inside the elbow. It can feel like the pain when you hit your ‘funny bone’. It can be caused by overuse of the elbow, arthritis and fractures.
3. Arthritis
Although arthritis can’t be cured, we can help manage the condition. The sooner you seek treatment, the more you can benefit from it. Arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints, restricting movement. Physiotherapy will strengthen the ligaments and tendons in your hands and improve flexibility. With careful consideration from our expert hand therapist, inflammation and stiffness in the knuckles and fingers can be reduced.
4. Dupuytren’s disease
Dupuytren’s causes a benign growth in the palm. It can lead to (usually) painless hard lumps forming in the palm and on the fingers. These can then cause the finger to bend towards the palm. Early treatment is essential as although physiotherapy can’t cure the condition, it can prevent it from deteriorating. You can read more about the condition, and how we treat it, in this blog post.
5. Wrist issues
We see a wide range of wrist issues, from sprains and fractures to joint replacements and CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome). We’ll carry out a full assessment of the area, identify the issue and create a bespoke treatment plan.
6. Finger issues
From volar plate injuries to dislocations, our specialist hand therapist will help you to reduce pain and treat the issue. Using evidence-based practice, we’ll rehabilitate the area and build strength, to reduce the chance of injury occurring again in the future.
As a non-surgical approach to rehabilitation, we use physical exercise methods to improve dexterity and ease pain. Using a combination of joint mobilisation, stretching and active exercises we design a plan that is unique to you. We take a holistic approach to hand therapy, starting by taking the time to get to know you, your symptoms and your relevant medical history.
To book your appointment, please contact us on 01386 298058.