How Physical Therapy Can Help With Your Elbow, Wrist or Hand

Your physical therapist can help you regain function in your elbow, wrist , or hand as quickly as possible through a combination of manual techniques such as exercise, massage and mobilization, and training to yelp you use your hand for maximal function. Physical therapists emphasize the need to get the affected area moving as quickly as is safe after an injury. The longer a joint remains immobile, the greater the possibility that excess swelling may lead to decreased use of the area.

It is especially important to minimize edema (swelling) in the hand. The hand is so compact, and so intricately constructed with its many small bones and joints, that the natural swelling that accompanies an injury can be a serious problem in itself. The back of the hand is the most common place for swelling to occur, and if the fluid that accompanies the edema is not displaced, the tissue inside the hand can become almost like glue in texture. When scarring sets in, the capsules around the joints shrink and the ligaments tighten, causing loss of function in the hand.

Moving the hand as soon as possible displaces the fluid that causes swelling. It also lessens the chance that the hand's range of motion will be permanently diminished.

Traditional Therapies and High-Tech Horizons

Y our physical therapist has many options available to treat your condition, from ice packs and splints to the most advanced technology. Often working in consultation with a physician, your physical therapist will design a treatment regimen tailored to your individual problem, working to restore flexibility and ease discomfort. Treatment may emphasize exercises for relaxation, conditioning, restoring range of motion, strength, endurance, and coordination. Specialized treatments, or modalities, include heat, cold, massage, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and traction.

Medical technology today can often diagnose ailments without surgery. Using a process called arthroscopy, orthopedic surgeons can now insert miniature video cameras into the affected area (the wrist, for example). This can allow the physician to pinpoint the problem and treat it immediately. This procedure is far less traumatic to the patient than a surgery, and it allows the patient to begin sessions with the physical therapist days or weeks earlier than might have been possible before.

Prevention

Many of the problems that physical therapists see every day could have been easily prevented with a little education and awareness. For instance, virtually all repetitive motion disorders can be avoided through rest breaks, exercise, proper posture, proper technique, use of protective equipment, and properly designed workstations.

Overuse is certainly the most avoidable cause of hand, wrist or elbow problems. Taking regular breaks from your computer keyboard - or your tennis game, or your electric drill, or your sewing machine - for a few minutes each hour can go a long way in preventing common overuse injuries.

Exercise builds strength and increases your mobility and range of motion. Depending on how it is used, exercise can prevent problems or bring them on: the key is proper form and moderation. In addition, correct posture is essential to healthy, harmonious functioning of the elbow, wrist, and hand. The muscles and tendons of the wrist and hand are not designed to carry a great deal of weight. The position and alignment of your body when you carry heavy objects can make the difference between developing a chronic, painful condition and years of trouble-free use.