Fortunately, there are ways to speed up your recovery, and help you regain your mobility, flexibility, and strength. At JAG PT, we’re the tri-state area’s premiere provider of physical therapy, which is a key component in hand injury rehabilitation. You can use the following tips and techniques to recover faster from a fracture so you can get back to your everyday lifestyle as soon as possible. Contact JAG PT to learn more about hand fracture recovery, or book an appointment today – your recovery shouldn’t wait.

Understanding Hand Fractures

A hand fracture is a break or crack in one or more of the many small bones that make up the hand. Hand fractures are often caused by falls or something forcefully striking or being dropped on the fingers or palm.

Anyone may be at risk of a hand fracture, as some of the most common causes are ordinary slips and trips when the fall is broken with an outstretched hand. Osteoporosis and other bone and joint conditions can increase the chances of a hand fracture. People who play sports that involve intensive hand usage — such as rugby, football, and hockey — are prone to breaks, as are athletes involved in activities where falls are common, like skiing, snowboarding, and gymnastics. The sports medicine specialists at JAG PT are dedicated to helping physically active people reduce their chances of injury.

Hand fractures can be categorized as follows:

• Stable fractures occur when the broken sections of bone continue to be lined up with one another. This type of fracture can be the result of a minor fall or a sports injury.
• Unstable fractures are more serious because the pieces of bone have shifted, which complicates healing. The more severe the impact, the more likely the fracture is to become unstable.
• Comminuted fractures are especially severe because they involve breaks in the bone in several places rather than just one. Most of the time, comminuted fractures of the hand are the result of blunt force trauma, such as an automobile accident.

If you have a hand fracture, you’re probably wondering when you’ll be back to normal. The recovery time depends on the type of fracture, but in general, it takes four to six weeks for a hand fracture to heal, and you can usually return to your normal activities after about eight to twelve weeks. However, you can recover better and faster by maintaining a consistent regimen of exercise and PT treatment.

How to Strengthen Your Hand During the Fracture Recovery Process

To help your hand heal, your doctor will likely recommend performing exercises to increase hand mobility and then, when you’re ready, using resistance training to increase hand strength. You may also be advised to adopt some lifestyle changes, such as protecting your wrist with a brace.

Exercises to Improve Range of Motion and Flexibility in the Hand

Here are three easy exercises you can use to regain mobility:

• Wrist supination: Place your arm at your side straight out against the body, forming a 90-degree angle at the elbow and facing the palms down. Rotate your forearm so your palm faces up and hold for five seconds. Return to the palms down position and repeat.
• Thumb extension: Start with your thumb extended. Gradually turn your thumb so it slides across the palm of your hand and faces the other edge, then turn it back to the extended position and repeat.
• Finger tendon glide: Place your elbow on a flat surface for stability. Extend your arm and fingers. To perform this mobility exercise, you’ll do three movements. First, bend your fingers down perpendicular to your palm (making a 90-degree angle). Next, bend your finger joints until your fingertips curve inward like a hook. Finally, make a loose fist by touching your fingertips to the palm of your hand and repeat.

Resistance Training Exercises to Increase Hand Strength and Dexterity

As your mobility improves and the fracture heals, you’ll want to work on strengthening your hand with resistance exercises so you can regain your dexterity and grip. Here are three exercises that will strengthen your hand:

• Ball or putty squeezes: Hold a squeeze ball or piece of putty in the palm of your hand and squeeze hard without reaching a point of pain.
• Finger lifts: Place your hand on a flat surface, palm down. Lift each finger and your thumb individually and lower slowly.
• Rubber hand abduction: Surround your four fingers with a rubber band, placing it above the middle knuckle. Spread your fingers as far as you can, hold for five seconds, and relax.

Lifestyle Changes to Speed Your Recovery

To promote bone healing, be sure to include plenty of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and protein in your diet from dark leafy greens, yogurt, salmon, meat, nuts, and seeds.

You will also want to enhance your vitamin and mineral intake. You can talk to your doctor about taking supplements. Zinc, copper, silicon, and vitamins C, B6, and K are all nutrients your body needs to rebuild bone.

Healthy blood circulation is also important to speed healing after a hand fracture. That’s why you should avoid smoking, which diminishes blood flow. Be sure to stay active as much as possible and keep up a routine of hand exercises in order to maintain an adequate flow of nutrient-rich blood to the injury site.

Get Professional Hand Care with JAG PT

While there’s a lot you can do at home, only a trained and licensed physical therapist will know what’s best for your unique situation. The best path forward for you depends on the type of fracture, your musculoskeletal condition, and your lifestyle needs such as the physical demands of your job or the sports you play.

JAG Physical Therapy can provide a personalized treatment plan to help you recondition your hand and meet your specific needs and goals. Learn more about how we can help you return to the lifestyle you enjoyed before the injury — contact JAG PT today, find a location near you throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, or book an appointment, because your healing can’t wait.

Learn More About Physical Therapy from JAG PT:

• What Does a Hand Therapist Do?
• What is Dry Needling?
• 4 Ways to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• How to Determine if Your Arm Pain is Elbow Bursitis

The post Strengthening Your Hands After a Fracture: Tips and Exercises for a Quicker Recovery appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.

A certified hand therapist (CHT) is an occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) highly trained in kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology. To get a hand therapy certification, an OT or PT must accumulate at least three years with 4,000 hours of direct practice in hand therapy. That’s in addition to passing an exam to demonstrate competency in the clinical skills and theory of hand rehabilitation.

JAG PT is New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania’s top source for compassionate and effective hand therapy. Contact us to learn more about this specialization, or schedule your hand therapy appointment at your nearest JAG PT location today.

What Conditions Does Hand Therapy Treat?

Our hand therapists at JAG Physical Therapy are specially trained and fully certified to treat upper extremity injuries and conditions, such as:

Swelling

Trauma from injury or repeated strain on either arm can cause swelling in joints or muscles. Swelling is often an indication of bruised muscle fibers, torn ligaments, overworked joints, or inflamed tissues. It’s usually accompanied by pain, tenderness, numbness, stiffness, or tingling. At JAG PT, we help our patients relieve conditions like these with treatment methods from hand therapy to sports medicine and more.

General Pain

Pain in the upper limbs, either chronic or sporadic, may be linked to physical impairment, injury, or a physiological condition. Common culprits of upper extremity pain include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and rotator cuff tears—these are mainly caused by overuse and trauma.

Stiffness

Arm joints, tendons, and ligaments can stiffen due to an underlying condition (infection, inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or others), lifestyle habits, changes in weather, or aging. In mild cases, stiffness makes performing certain shoulder, elbow, wrist, or finger movements difficult or uncomfortable. But it can worsen over time, leading to pain and seized joints in the affected arm.

Fine Motor Problems

Fine motor skills describe the dexterity and coordination needed to perform intricate hand exercises such as writing, buttoning a shirt, and handling small objects. Problems with fine motor abilities are common among children with developmental, genetic, or nervous conditions such as cerebral palsy, dyspraxia, and sensory processing disorder. Adults can also lose their fine motor skills due to a traumatic injury to the wrist or hands or a neurological condition. At JAG PT, our hand therapists utilize a variety of techniques from occupational therapy to help patients of all ages build and restore their fine motor control.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) manifests as pain in the elbow from overloaded forearm tendons and overused wrist extensor muscles. While this condition is common among tennis players, anyone may be affected by it, not just athletes. Any activities requiring repetitive wrist twists, such as painting, plumbing, and hammering, can cause tennis elbow.

Arthritis

Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in joints. According to the CDC, arthritis is the leading cause of disability among US adults. The skilled therapy staff at JAG PT helps patients with arthritis restore movement, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation in the affected parts of the arm.

Fractures

Our hand therapy treatments aim to speed up recovery from fractured bones or joints along the arm and hands. Such therapies center around bone healing, pain management, and function restoration.

What Techniques Are Used in Hand Therapy?

We use various methods and tools to customize each patient's hand therapy treatment plan based on the underlying problem and the desired results. Here are five examples of the treatment techniques used in hand therapy:

• Healing and Wound Management – Recovering from an acute injury starts with proper wound management, from cleaning and dressing to stitching. Healing and wound management treatments vary widely depending on the nature and stage of the injury. For instance, hand therapists can use custom splints to immobilize certain parts of the arm so they can heal properly or cast a fractured joint to promote self-repair.
• Scar Management – The scar tissue left behind by healed wounds can bind muscles, skin tissue, and tendons, restricting movement in the scarred area. Therapeutic scar management softens and desensitizes a scar to minimize its effect on the hand’s range of motion and feeling.
• Tissue Mobilization Exercises – Tissue mobilization uses range-of-motion exercises, mainly extensions and stretches, designed to restore natural movement in arm muscles and joints.
• Strengthening Programs – Upper extremity strengthening exercises help the arm muscles and joints regain their strength after healing from injury, surgery, or infection. Common strength exercises include FlexBar exercises and controlled weight raises, curls, and presses.
• Soft and Deep Tissue Massage – Deep tissue massage helps relieve tension and stiffness in arm muscles and fascia. On the other hand, soft tissue massages stretch and soothe the muscles, improving flexibility and range of motion along the arm.

Is Hand Therapy Right for You?

Hand therapy from a certified hand therapist can rehabilitate your upper extremities after an illness or injury on your shoulder, fingers, and everything in between. However, each case is unique and must be evaluated by a specialist who then designs an effective treatment plan.

We are more than happy to answer all your questions on hand therapy, and design a customized treatment plan made just for you. Contact us to learn more or schedule an appointment to visit any one of our JAG Physical Therapy locations in NY, NJ, or PA, and we’ll help you start your journey to healthier, stronger hands.

Learn More About Physical Therapy from JAG PT: 

• Strengthening Your Hands After A Fracture: Tips and Exercises for a Quicker Recovery
• 4 Ways to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• What is Dry Needling?

The post What Does a Hand Therapist Do? appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.

At JAG Physical Therapy, we are the most trusted hand therapy provider in the NY, NJ, and PA area, and our skilled and empathetic therapy staff delivers custom care that’s focused on your lifestyle. Contact us today to learn more about the hand therapy program at JAG PT, or find your nearest JAG  PT clinic location.

What Is Hand Therapy?

Hand therapy is a branch of physical therapy that focuses on the arm. Hand therapists may treat any injury or condition affecting the fingers, the hand itself, the wrist, the forearm, the elbow, or the upper arm, right up to the shoulder.

To practice as a hand therapist in the United States, medical professionals must be qualified as an occupational or physical therapist, as well as receive further certification specifically in hand therapy. To achieve this certified hand therapist (CHT) status, professionals must practice for at least three years, clocking 4,000+ hours of treatment in relevant areas. Here at JAG Physical Therapy, we offer CHT services to our patients at many of our locations, and all our hand therapists meet the very highest standards of care.

Common Conditions Treated with Hand Therapy

What kind of conditions can benefit from a program of hand therapy? There are many answers to this question, but here are a few of the most common examples:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition associated with nerve damage in the wrist. Nerves become pinched or constrained within the wrist, creating a numbness or tingling that manifests across other areas of the hand or arm. This condition is very common and is associated with repetitive tasks such as clicking a mouse on the computer. Hand therapy can ease the constriction in the wrist, returning the hand or arm to its normal function.

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger refers to a constriction or jarring within one of the fingers and is generally caused by a tendon within this finger. The tendon becomes swollen or inflamed and then contracts, pulling the finger into a bent position similar to the movement used to squeeze the trigger on a gun. The finger may suddenly release, snapping back to a straightened orientation, but it may be painful and uncomfortable for the sufferer.

Tendon Injuries

Tendons connect our muscles to our bones, providing the high-strength links that our musculoskeletal system needs to move and function in the right way. Tendons can be found across the arm, from the fingers up to the shoulder, and they can become damaged or injured in many different ways, such as in cases of tendonitis and strains. Hand therapy can assist here, providing the rehabilitative care required to bring tendons back to health and restore movement and function to the arm. 

Arthritis

Arthritis refers to swelling within the joints, which makes movement and function difficult and painful.  Arthritis can be the result of years of wear and tear, which is why it is common in older people, but other forms of arthritis exist, such as rheumatoid arthritis, that can affect people of any age. When arthritis occurs in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, or finger joints, it can be highly debilitating, making everyday tasks difficult and painful, which is why hand therapy can make a great deal of difference for arthritis sufferers.

Bone Fractures and Joint Dislocations

Broken wrists, forearms, and elbows are among the most common injuries suffered in the United States each year. This is due to the way we often use our hands and arms to protect ourselves — if we fall, we are likely to put our hands out in front of us to soften the impact, and this can put our arms at risk of damage. Dislocations can also occur — this happens when bones within a joint are misaligned and need to be put back in place. Shoulder dislocations are common, but elbow and finger dislocations can also cause problems with using the hands. A dislocation may involve broken bones as well as torn ligaments and tendons, all of which may require a course of hand therapy during rehabilitation.

Dupuytren's Contracture

Dupuytren's contracture occurs when the soft tissues beneath the skin of the hand begin to harden and tighten. This tightening may become visible, forming a hard lump beneath the skin that inhabits normal hand function. However, the more severe symptoms of this condition may occur in the fingers — the hardening tissues contract and pull the fingers toward the palm of the hand. One or more fingers may curl into a claw-like shape, similar to the one seen in cases of trigger finger. However, unlike trigger finger, Dupuytren's contracture may not permit the fingers to snap back into position, and a course of hand therapy may be required to restore normal function and orientation.

Nerve Disorders

Neurological issues can take many forms within the hand and arm. The nerves can become damaged following trauma, or they can become pinched within joints. This may result in pain and severe discomfort, or it may lead to numbness and loss of feeling. The complex nature of the nervous system and the diverse array of different symptoms and responses mean that accurate diagnosis is necessary for patients who may be suffering from nerve damage.

Ligament and Soft Tissue Tears

As noted above, tendons connect muscles and bones, but there are many other types of soft tissue in the hand and arm. There are the muscles themselves, which provide motive power, and there are the ligaments, which connect bone to bone, supporting the structure of the hand and arm. All these tissues can become damaged and torn, either following an acute injury or due to long-term usage. Hand therapy can be deployed to strengthen these soft tissues after primary treatment is administered and during the recovery phase.

Crush Injuries and General Trauma

If the hand or arm becomes trapped in something — a closing door or a piece of machinery, for example — a crush injury can be the result. Crush injuries cause trauma to the hand or arm, and reconstructive treatments may be required to restore its function. Hand therapy will come later as patients regain full strength and range of motion after significant trauma.

Hand Therapy During Rehabilitation

In all of the above conditions, hand therapy is applied during the rehabilitation process or across a long-term process of care. The techniques used in this therapy may not be suitable for primary treatment, but they can be very useful as they help patients to make a full recovery.

Hand Therapy Treatments

JAG PT's hand therapists offer a range of different treatments to our patients, giving them the care they need to manage chronic conditions and progress through a course of rehabilitation. These treatments include:

Therapeutic Exercises and Stretching

Patients can benefit from regular exercise and stretching, and hand therapists provide the guidance and understanding these patients need as they follow these exercises in the right way.

Manual Therapy Techniques

The hand therapist may need to physically manipulate the affected body part as part of a manual therapy program, moving the hand or arm through the proper range of motion on the way to alleviating symptoms and achieving full recovery.

Custom Splinting and Orthotic Devices

Additional orthotic devices can help to straighten and support damaged areas. These devices may need to be custom-built to fit the precise measurements of the patient.

Edema Management

Edema management, or the management of swelling, involves easing fluid build-up within soft tissues, restoring motion and reducing pain and discomfort.

Scar Management

Trauma may result in the formation of scar tissue, which can cause further aesthetic and functional issues later on. Scar management can help to break up this scar tissue, supporting the hand and arm during rehabilitation or ongoing management.

Pain Management

Pain and discomfort can make life miserable for patients, but the right course of pain management can bring this under control.

Functional and Occupational Therapy Interventions

Occupational therapy is designed to help patients with specific movements and tasks from their work or daily life. The aim is to return the patient's hand or arm to its normal function so they can resume regular tasks with ease and without discomfort.

The Benefits of Hand Therapy

Hand therapy is designed to provide a wealth of different benefits to patients, including:

• Restoring normal hand and arm function during rehabilitation
• Accelerating recovery following trauma
• Achieving better quality of life while dealing with chronic conditions
• Reducing pain and discomfort
• Easing swelling
• Managing the symptoms of specific conditions in the hand and arm

Hand Therapy at JAG PT

Here at JAG Physical Therapy, we provide certified hand therapy services to our patients, helping them to achieve the quality of life and rehabilitative results they seek. You'll find our CHTs at our Belleville, Jersey City, Warren, West Orange, Red Bank, and Wayne (Hamburg) locations in New Jersey and at our Atlantic Terminal, Hawthorne, Marine Park, Midwood (Ocean Avenue), and South Avenue locations in New York.

Want to learn more about what JAG PT's hand therapists can do for you? Take a look at our video to discover what our CHT services look like in action, or schedule an appointment today.

Learn More About Hand Therapy from JAG PT:

• Strengthening Your Hands After A Fracture: Tips and Exercises for a Quicker Recovery
• What Does a Hand Therapist Do?

The post Common Conditions Treated with Hand Therapy appeared first on JAG Physical Therapy in NY, NJ, & PA.