Hand Surgery/Therapy
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What do an athlete, a concert pianist, a skilled artist, a gifted writer and you and I have in common? We all rely heavily on our hands. So when injuries or problems such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome strike our hands, many of the tasks we take for granted in our everyday lives become more difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish.
When patients with hand injuries or problems come to MeritCare's orthopaedics or Sports Medicine departments, we refer them to our resident orthopaedic hand surgeon and his hand therapy team for treatment.
Surgery
As with many other orthopaedic problems, surgery is often the first step in treating an orthopaedic problem in the hands. But surgeries of the hands and upper extremities require a special set of skills-the skills of a certified orthopaedic and hand surgeon. Visit our medical staff directory to find out more about our hand surgeons.
The Hand Therapy Team
Hand therapists can evaluate and treat any problem from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers. Hand therapy often starts within days of the injury or surgery and may continue until the patient returns to work and/or the injury is completely healed.
The hand therapy team has a combined total of 32 years of specialized hand therapy experience, as well as a certified hand therapist on staff.
Hand Therapy Services
Most patients who receive hand therapy are post-surgical, but that's not always the case. The Hand Therapy Department provides treatment to adults and children in several areas, including:
- Wound management
- Edema control
- Range of motion
- Scar management
- Pain control
- Sensory re-education
- Strengthening
- Coordination
- Splint fabrication
- Work hardening
- Job-site analysis
- Key Functional Capacity evaluation
They also treat a number of diagnosed conditions.
Diagnosed Conditions Treated
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