Hand therapy is a type of rehabilitation performed by an occupational or physical therapist for patients that have conditions affecting the hands and upper extremities.
The Wrist
Heat Treatment and Cold Treatment
Applying a heat treatment or cold treatment is a common method for treating injuries, stiffness, swelling and pain.
Knuckle, Wrist & Finger Joint Replacement
In a joint replacement, the abnormal structures of the joint are removed and replaced. These structures are bone, cartilage, and synovium.
Nerve Damage and Repair
Nerve repair is required after a nerve is injured in such a way that it will not recover on its own. Nerves are bundles of fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
Nerve Injury
Nerves are the body’s “telephone wiring” system that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move. Other nerves carry messages about pain, pressure, or temperature from the body to the brain.
Pseudogout
Pseudogout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint inflammation due to the body depositing calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint and soft tissues. Pseudogout is also called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD).
Psoriatic Arthritis
Arthritis describes any condition where cartilage in the joint breaks down. Normally, a joint consists of two smooth, cartilage-covered bone surfaces that fit together as a matched set and glide against one other.
Scaphoid Fracture
The scaphoid is one of eight small bones that make up the “carpal bones” of the wrist. It connects two rows of these bones - the proximal row (closer to the forearm) and the distal row (closer to the hand).
Scapholunate Torn Ligament
A ligament is a thick band of tissue that connects two bones. There are many ligaments in the wrist. When a ligament is injured, this is referred to as a sprain. A very common ligament injured in a sprained wrist is the scapholunate ligament.
Scar Treatment
Scar formation is a normal response following any injury or surgery; it is the way the body heals injured structures. Scar tissue may involve only the superficial skin, or it may involve the deeper tissues beneath the skin, including nerves and tendons.