Hand services at MedStar Health Physical Therapy are specially designed for persons with:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve compression disorders
- Cumulative trauma and overuse disorders, including tendinitis
- Trauma to the hand, including lacerations, crush injuries, and fractures
- Post-operative reconstructive procedures, including joint replacements for arthritis
- Repetitive motion disorders in the upper extremities
Services offered
Upon referral, an experienced MedStar Health Physical Therapy occupational or physical therapist completes a full evaluation of the affected extremity. Following the evaluation, an individualized treatment program is developed to address the patient’s needs. The program is modified as necessary throughout the course of therapy to maximize functional outcome and use of the injured or affected extremity. Services offered include:
- Fabrication of splints and other orthotic devices to increase range of motion, and to improve protective, corrective, or functional positioning
- Instruction in and assistance with wound care, edema control, and scar management
- Intervention for management of pain resulting from surgery, overuse, and trauma, including use of thermal modalities as necessary
- Desensitization and sensory re-education following nerve trauma
- Design and implementation of personalized exercise and activity programs to improve functional use of hands and upper extremities by increasing strength, coordination, dexterity, and range of motion
- Retraining in daily living skills, using adapted methods and equipment as appropriate
- Work simulation and graded activities to increase work conditioning and tolerance, and to improve the patient’s ability to return to work
- Instruction in joint protection, energy conservation, and work simplification techniques
- Evaluation of the patient’s jobsite or workstation to provide recommendations for modifications aimed at decreasing the incidence of cumulative trauma disorders or at preventing recurrence of such disorders
We encourage close communication and coordination among referring physicians, surgeons, case managers, therapists, and patients. This partnership approach is an important part of the philosophy of patient care in the MedStar Health.
Through its affiliation with MedStar Health, MedStar Health Physical Therapy is home to a number of Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) or Occupational and/or Physical Therapists specializing in the upper extremity. These therapists possess a high degree of specialization requiring continuing education and, often, advanced certification in rehabilitating patients with conditions affecting the hand and upper extremity.
Our providers
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