The ability to use our hands is vital to most daily activities and loss of function through injury or disease can lead to much difficulty in many parts of life. This can affect day-to-day tasks as well as livelihoods, sports, leisure activities and even the way we communicate.

Hand therapy is a specialist area that integrates many different treatment approaches after a thorough assessment of structure, movement and function. This may include; acute or chronic pain management, exercises to increase movement, strength and dexterity, massage and mobilisation techniques, desensitisation after nerve injury or scar tissue formation, sensory stimulation and re-education. New ways of doing things or the use of modified equipment may be recommended. Acupuncture or TENS might also be used to reduce pain.

Splints are sometimes provided to support or protect the hand or wrist. This may involve the fabrication of tailor made splints that might be worn for functional activities or rest. This may allow a joint to function more effectively in a more stable, supported position. Alternatively, a protective splint might be worn to allow for healing and pain relief.

The clinic welcomes a wide variety of patients with hand conditions. It may be a painful thumb – arthritis or sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or a new or old fracture. It may be that post-operative care is required after hand surgery such as dupuytrens fasciectomy, trapezectomy or carpal tunnel release.

Sometimes symptoms in the hand can be due to a problem further up the arm at the shoulder or neck. Our thorough approach to assessment ensures that we treat the causes as well as the symptoms.

Our therapists are members of the British Association of Hand Therapists and the Wessex Hand Club – a local special interest group.

Conditions treated…

Acquired hand conditions including;

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nerve entrapments/irritation

De Quervains tenosynovitis

Trigger thumb/finger

Repetitive strain injuries

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Hand and Upper Limb Trauma and Post-operative rehabilitation including;

Fractures

Peripheral nerve injuries

Tendon repair

Complex orthopaedic and plastic surgery

Routine hand surgery post-operatively (Trapezectomy, Fasciectomy, Carpal tunnel decompression, joint replacement, stabilisations)

Complex pain presentations including;

Brachial plexus injury

Thoracic and Cervical Outlet Syndromes

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Dystonias

Paediatric trauma and congenital hand conditions

Providing conservative management, functional enablement and post-operative care

Neurological conditions affecting the upper limb including;

Spinal cord injury

Multiple sclerosis

Stroke

Traumatic brain injury

Common Musculoskeletal Upper limb conditions including;

Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis

Shoulder pathologies (including rotator cuff dysfunctions, impingement, adhesive capsulitis)

Spinal conditions affecting the upper limb including;

Radicular pain including nerve root irritation and compression

Whiplash/trauma

Core strength deconditioning

Treatments offered

Our holistic team approach gives the multidisciplinary opportunity to match individual client needs to bespoke care that often combines both occupational therapy and physiotherapy specialisms.

 

Appointments are available to book online, but if you are unsure please call the clinic on

                                         01722 501010