Specialised Hand Therapy Services in Perth, Western Australia | Medical and health

Specialised Hand Therapy Services

Locality: Perth, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 9324 2881

Address: 17 Colin St 6005 Perth, WA, Australia

Website: http://www.specialisedhandtherapy.com.au

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25.01.2022 A common injury we see in our clinics is a nail bed or fingertip crush injury. Here are some facts you might not know about our nails: Nails grow an average of 3.5mm a month. It takes 3-6 months to grow a whole new nail. Nails are made out of a protein called keratin, the same stuff as our hair!... Fingernails grow faster than toenails, and nails grow faster in the summer than in the winter. Cuticles have a purpose, they are there to protect the growing nail. Nails grow from under the skin and push out old cells as they start to grow. The nails you see are essentially dead cells. After a nail bed or fingertip crush injury treated conservatively or post surgery (such as nail bed repair), hand therapy may be helpful for the management of swelling and scar tissue, with desensitisation, and with regaining range of motion and strength in the hand. For more information or to book an appointment contact us on (08) 9324 2881 or visit our website www.specialisedhandtherapy.com.au today!

22.01.2022 Have you ever wondered, "Why did I get a repetitive strain injury/arthritis on my non-dominant hand? I don't use it that much!". We have Isaac Newton to thank for that. In 1686, he proposed 3 Laws of Motion, the third one being "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Applying this to everyday life, every time we do something two handed like open a jar, wring a cloth, or tie a shoelace, the force required by your dominant hand is exactly the same as that of your non-dominant hand. So, the next time you think your non-dominant hand doesn't do much, think of Newton!

21.01.2022 Proprioception is our ability to sense our own body in space. It allows us to detect changes in our body’s joint position, movement, force and speed without needing to use our vision. Such as with walking in a straight line without looking at our feet, catching a falling object or standing steady on one foot with our eyes shut. Our ligaments, muscles and tendons are all partly responsible for our ability to detect proprioception. They each have receptors that send messages to... the brain about joint position speed and force. Having an injury can disrupt these messages and therefore your proprioception may be altered. Some signs of poor proprioception following a hand injury may include: * Poor balance such as an inability to carry a tea cup without spilling it. * Uncoordinated movement or feeling less controlled or clumsy with tasks. * Poor reflexes such as inability to catch or throw a ball naturally. * Reduced ability to gauge your own strength (e.g. squeezing an object too hard or too soft). At Specialised Hand Therapy Services we incorporate proprioceptive exercises into many of our rehabilitation programs. Some exercises are lightweight and simple, while others can be more complex and dynamic depending on the patient needs and stage of recovery. Have a look at a few of our favourites in the video below!

13.01.2022 Crushing the end of a finger is quite a common injury. If you have ever slammed your finger in a door, you will know that it can be incredibly painful. The tip of the finger contains the most nerve receptors of any location in the body. According to John Hopkins University (John Hopkins Magazine, April 1995) there are approximately 3000 sensory receptors in each finger-tip. When these nerves are crushed they can become very sensitive and painful. Mrs. G sustained a crush i...njury to her right dominant hand middle and ring fingers when they were caught in a roller door six weeks ago. The crush caused a ring finger base of distal phalanx fracture, and tuft fractures to both the ring and middle fingers (see photos). Due to the severity of the crush Mrs. G underwent a nail bed repair for both her ring and middle fingers. Post nail bed repair the nail was placed back on the tip of the finger to help splint the fractures and the surrounding soft tissue. This also assists with the healing of the nail bed. Therapy has consisted of thermoplastic splinting to protect the fractures, desensitisation, active motion, oedema and scar management. Mrs. G has experienced some hypersensitivity to the tips of her fingers however with active motion, light use and desensitisation it is improving. She is now using her hand functionally again and her finger motion is improving. Hopefully she will be back to lawn bowls in just a few weeks.

07.01.2022 Get by with a little help from your buddies... There are many injuries to your fingers including minor fractures, injuries to the collateral ligaments or volar plate injuries that may result in your finger needing to be buddied to the adjacent finger/fingers. This can provide the injury with the support and protection it needs using the next door finger as a mobile splint, as well as guiding the finger so an injury such as a fracture heals in the correct position. Ta...ping the fingers together is one option, however this can limit your ability to either make a full fist or straighten your fingers fully, which can result in a long term loss of full finger motion that then needs to be treated, or may cause pain or further damage if you pull the tape off constantly to replace it. There are lots of available options other than tape to buddy your fingers appropriately. Our therapists can help choose and fabricate the right type of buddies to allow the injury to heal, whilst allowing maximum functional use of the hand. We will also teach you the specific exercises you will need to do whilst wearing the buddies, assess when to stop using them, and give you the exercises you need to do once they are removed! Some options we like to use in our clinic are Thermoplastic, Orficast, Lycra and Velcro. Have a look at the photos below