Hand Therapy Is For All Ages: Can Kids Benefit From Hand Therapy?
Being a mom of two toddlers, I know how easily injuries happen in children as they learn to explore their world. While we want to keep our children bubble-wrapped so they never have to experience pain, the Occupational Therapist in me realizes how important it is for their brain development to explore their world. My kids have amazed me at how easy it is to get a finger stuck in a toy or while racing outside to play, the door pinches the hand, or the fall during a sport-like activity leaves my little one clutching his/her arm.
Hand Injuries Common To Rock Climbers
Rock climbers face many types of injuries to their bodies, be it from falling rock, or one’s worst fear, a trauma from a fall event. What many don’t realize is the risk to the entire body, especially the hands. Climbers can experience overuse when training, particularly when training indoors, repeating the same routes multiple times. This can lead to shoulder and elbow tendonitis. However, most climbers don’t fear these types of injuries, but rather finger injuries. Even though rock climbing is a full body exercise, fingers make the most contact with rocks or grips, thus taking more stress than other body parts.
A Helping Hand: How Hand Therapy Can Help You Recover After A Hand Injury
The hand is an essential component in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Hands are required in common tasks like driving, cooking, dressing, eating, and grooming. Hand injuries are amongst the most common injuries in the US. In fact, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hand is the second most common body part to be injured at work. Participation in hand therapy following a hand injury is proven to help patients recover. According to recent studies, patients who attended hand therapy following a wrist fracture achieved significantly greater increases in wrist range of motion and grip strength after six weeks compared to patients who received no therapy. In this blog we will be discussing the importance of participation in hand therapy following a hand injury or surgery.
Hand and Wrist Injuries in Gymnasts
Gymnastics is a unique sport where athletes spend a large amount of time on their hands. Handstands, tumbling, rings, and bars require the athlete to place their entire body weight through the arms and into the hands. Other sports do not place these heavy demands on the upper extremity. When tumbling, the athlete puts not only their entire body weight through the hands but can have up to 16 times their body weight in force going across the wrist2. No wonder 80% of gymnasts will experience wrist pain at some point in their career!6 In a study comparing injuries in male and female collegiate gymnasts, men suffered more hand and wrist injuries than their female counterparts1. We will be taking a closer look at the types of hand and wrist injuries both male and female gymnasts may experience and how to treat or prevent these injuries.
How to Fall Correctly to Prevent Hand Injuries
As a physical therapist and hand therapist, one of the biggest concerns I hear from my patients is that they are worried they are going to fall and hurt themselves. It is not uncommon for a therapist to be treating injuries that resulted from a fall. The upper extremity (shoulder through the fingers) is a common place for injuries to occur following a fall as many will use their hands to brace their fall in order to protect their face or head. This type of fall is called a F.O.O.S.H or a fall on an outstretched hand. This blog will briefly look into common injuries of the upper extremity with a fall and will talk about ways to prevent these injuries.
Power Saws to Paint Brushes: Hand Tool Injuries & Prevention Tips
Co-Author: Werokina Noyszewski, OTS
Pity the tool! Tough as nails, even Mr. T could learn a thing or two about hand tool injuries. As the weather turns for the better, home renovations continue to be top of mind for many folks. From endless hours watching home renovation television shows, to scrolling through your favorite social networks for inspiration, we all have the desire for DIY projects to improve our space. No matter what your artisan experience is, our expert Hand Therapists have provided tips to keep you safe while working with your hands.
The Importance of Physical/Occupational Therapy after a Crush Injury
Accidents can happen in a matter of seconds and can be devastating. Worker’s compensation accidents are no different. However, a crush injury is one of the more traumatic worker’s compensation accidents. A crush injury occurs when force or pressure is put on a body part. This type of injury most often happens when a part of the body is squeezed between two heavy objects.
Safe Thanksgiving Cooking Tips from a Hand Therapist
Co-author: Amy Frederickson
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to show gratitude and enjoy the company of family and friends. This holiday season, our expert Hand Therapists are talking through some common hand-related injuries and providing tips to keep you safe while cooking and celebrating Thanksgiving.
