Therapies are the non-surgical rehabilitation treatments. Most of the orthopedic conditions do require therapies. Likewise, in most of the cases of hand injuries, hand therapies are required. Hand therapies are a kind of rehabilitation. Hand therapies are performed by a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. A hand therapist helps the patients to enhance the strength of the hand and return them to their normal lifestyle.
Hand therapies can help a lot in relieving the pain and swelling due to different reasons. Hand therapies are mainly suggested for people who are affected by an accident or trauma. They may leave scars, burns, injured nerves or tendons, amputation of fingers, hands, or arms and fractures. Hand therapy is also used a solution for problems such as carpel tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, arthritis or neurological conditions such as stroke etc.
The main advantages of physical therapy include:
- 1. Preventive, conservative or non-surgical treatment
- 2. Can manage acute or chronic pain
- 3. Desensitization following trauma or nerve injury
- 4. Sensory re-education after nerve injury
- 5. Design and implementation of home exercise programs to increase motion, dexterity, and/or strength
- 6. Splint fabrication for prevention or correction of injury
- 7. Training in the performance of daily life skills through adapted methods and equipment
- 8. Conditioning prior to returning to work
Hand therapies use physical methods such as splinting, wound care and exercises to manage hand injuries and disorders. Hand therapist may also treat other hand issues like upper limb disorders that may affect the hand functioning.
