Occupational therapy

Hand injuries are the most common traumas, predominantly acquired by people of working age. After hand injuries or hand diseases patients are often unable to perform their daily work in a manner, which is considered a norm. Rehabilitation is of utmost importance for making the consequences resulting from hand injuries and diseases less burdensome.

After hand injuries, the hand therapy is closely integrated with the hand surgery. A therapist works in close cooperation with a hand surgeon when planning and implementing the post-operational treatment in order to achieve the patients’ recovery after surgery. The therapy is individually tailored, taking into account the patient’s medical condition, injury’s severity, his/her occupation and professional requirements. After the surgery, the recovery process could be divided into several stages. The treatment and recovery process may take from a couple of weeks to several months or even years. Patient education also plays an important role in this process. A patient should know the anatomy of his/her hands, which structures are damaged by an injury and how this affects the hand function. A detailed description of the recovery process forecast helps the patient to understand the necessity of the therapy.

• pain relief;
• edema prevention;
• immobilization of the joints, affected by an injury;
• maintaining the level of mobility of adjacent joints;
• taking care of scars;
• development of passive and active mobility in the joints;
• sensory stimulation;
• hand manipulation skills and dexterity;
• joints care and protection principles;
• daily activities training anew;
• delaying the development of deformations;
• manufacturing of orthoses.

• hand injuries;
• fractures and prolonged immobilization;
• tendon and ligament damage;
• nerve damage (entrapment neuropathy);
• amputations and replantations;
• scar tissue care;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• De Kerven disease;
• stenosed ligamentous laxity;
• burns or frostbite;
• Dupuytren’s contracture;
• lateral epicondylitis;
• acquired wrist and finger deformations;
• inherited diseases.