WRIST AND HAND

Physical Therapy for the Wrist and Hand

Although we provide physical therapy for all orthopedic conditions and work not only to improve your pain complaints, more importantly we treat each patient as a person rather than as a diagnosis. Taking this comprehensive approach to orthopedic conditions provides our patients with the best results for their goals.  That being said, we know that our patient population is now more educated and involved in their health than ever.  As such, we have created a few targeted pages (by body part) to help share the basics about the body regions commonly treated at BreakThrough Physical Therapy. 

Physical Therapy Overview to Treatment of the Wrist and Hand:
Physical Therapists treat a wide range of disorders as they relate to the wrist and hand. As an extremely intricate region laden with bones, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves which play a critical role in the action of your entire upper extremity, the wrist and hand are at risk for injury. Wrist and hand pain can be a result of injury or disease of the wrist, hand and surrounding tissues. Patients can also report pain through the wrist and hand which could be initiating in the cervical spine (neck) or thoracic spine (mid-back), shoulder and/or elbow. Injury can affect any of the ligaments, bursae, bones, cartilage or tendons surrounding the wrist and hand.

At BreakThrough Physical Therapy, we begin your road to recovery with a comprehensive physical therapy evaluation.  This is critical in helping us to establish the best individualized treatment plan for you.  You will meet with one of our licensed physical therapists and they will ask a myriad of questions pertaining to you and your wrist and hand or related symptoms in order to help determine the cause of the pain and limitations you are experiencing.  Once the lines of communication and trust have been established, your physical therapist will then take you through a series of tests to determine more specifically the areas/tissues which may be most painful, weak, tight or limiting you in any way.  Your physical therapist will then communicate their findings to you and educate you on the first portion of your home exercise program.  You, your physical therapist and our aide team will work together in the coming weeks to help you reduce pain, increase mobility, flexibility, strength and endurance of all related tissues.  You will also learn some key tips to improve postural habits and body mechanics.  Our goal is to see you successfully return to your desired lifestyle upon discharge or “graduation” from BreakThrough Physical Therapy.

Because of the muscular, bony, ligamentous, neural and myofascial connections between the tissues; detailed evaluation including a thorough history by a medical professional is strongly recommended.  Many individuals try to manage their symptoms on their own and delay heeling further.  We have found that this causes the need for more extensive care in the future, greater expense to you and greater time away from work, family and friends than would have otherwise been needed.  While the internet can be a great tool for basic information, if you are having signs or symptoms which may need medical attention, please consult your physician or physical therapist immediately to ensure that you are taking the proper steps to your recovery.

Common Wrist and Hand Tissues treated at BreakThrough Physical Therapy (including, but not limited to):
• Bursa(e)
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Muscle
          Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus
          Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis
          Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
          Flexor Carpi Radialis
          Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
          Palmaris Longus
          Extensor Digitorum
          Extensor Indicis
          Extensor Digiti Minimi
          Flexor Digiti Minimi
          Opponens Digiti Minimi
          Abductor Digiti Minimi
          Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
          Flexor Digitorum Profundus
          Flexor Pollicis Longus
          Extensor Pollicis Longus
          Extensor Pollicis Brevis
          Abductor Pollicis Longus
          Adductor Pollicis
          Opponens Pollicis
          Lumbricales
• Bone
          Radius
          Ulna
          Carpals
          Metacarpals
          Phalanges

Common Diagnoses related to the wrist and hand treated at BreakThrough Physical Therapy (including, but not limited to):
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
• Cervical Radiculopathy
• Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
• Radial Nerve Entrapment
• Median Nerve Entrapment
• Tendonitis / Tendinitis
• Post-surgical wrist and hand physical therapy
• Post-operative wrist and hand physical therapy
• Arthritis
          Osteoarthritis
          Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Tendon Injuries
• Ligament Injuries
• Bone Fractures
          Radial Fracture
          Ulnar Fracture
          Carpal Fracture
          Metacarpal Fracture
          Phalanges Fracture