Hands Up Occupational Therapy

Wrist Sprain Pain This wound care nurse sustained a wrist sprain status post a slip and fall in NYC this icy winter . She is presenting with increased pain and swelling in the radial aspect of her wrist She was immobilized post injury in a custom thumb spica splint to protect and rest her wrist to allow for healing She has been complaint with splint wear and home HEP and has been attending HUOT She is eager to return to her daily life and re...sume function Her OT at HUOT applied Kinesio Tape to her wrist and forearm to provide support and decrease swelling Kinesio tape is often applied around an injured joint, muscle, or tendon to reduce swelling and prevent further complications. Kinesiology tape lifts the skin away from the underlying tissue, creating a space between the muscle and the dermis of the skin where fluid can be drained from to assist with decreasing pain and symptoms See more

Stiff Wrist Alert This patient sustained a distal radius fracture Symptoms include pain, swelling, decreased range and decreased grip strength. The MD and the Hand Therapist at HUOT decided to fabricate a wrist mobilization splint. The patient will be donning splint at home to increase ROM and continue active participation in Hand Therapy

This lucky mother of 2 sustained a partial FDP laceration of her 5th digit Post-op her surgeon opted to immobilize her in an ulnar gutter cast. She was referred to HUOT 6 weeks post op and presents with good tendon excursion She does however present with increased Intrinsic Flexor Tightness Her OT fabricated this custom extension splint for night use . . .... . #flexortendon #stpatricksday #luck See more

This patient presents with generalized intrinsic flexor tightness due to prolonged swelling and immobilization status post 5th Metacarpal fracture Unfortunately due to circumstances patient had delayed treatment that severely impacted her range of motion and resulted in severe digital stiffness The patient was referred to HUOT to initiate ROM and restore function The hand therapist fabricated this pan style splint for night use to apply Low Load Prolonged Stretch (LLPS) to the digits in the extended position The patient was instructed to bring in splint to HUOT to adjust as her range of motion improves

The Eye of the Hand The median nerve is of primary importance when it comes to function of the Hand The nerve has both sensory and motor components controlling thumb abduction, digital flexion and wrist flexion as well as sensation in the thumb index and radial aspect middle fingers as well as the radial aspect of the palm This patient sustained a median nerve laceration while completing a DYI bathroom renovation Patient underwent surgical repair and was referred to HUOT post-operatively. Patient presents a hypersensitive and hypertrophic scar The therapist is working on scar management techniques and sensory re-education and desensitization to improve sensation and function

The tip of the finger Distal fingertip trauma is a common condition often seen in the hospital emergency room and is frequently due to a crush injury explosion or power tool accident In this case the patient caught his finger in a sidewalk grate in Brooklyn Ouch Depending on the level of the amputation, the location, severity of the trauma as well as on the condition of the amputated segment the surgeon will determine the best treatment approach In cases of digital tip trauma the primary objective is to restore function to the hand This patient presents with a partial tip amputation. He has full functional recovery and is super excited to be a new home owner and looking forward to completing some DYI house repairs Additionally patient was excited to recently take on an Escape Room Challenge

It’s a work of art This is one of my favorite splints to makeI remember how nervous I was when I fabricated my first ulnar gutter splint nearly 15 years ago I was a new grad and was working at the Hand Clinic at Bellevue Hospital in NYC It took me nearly 45 min to make this exact splintI anxiously prepared the tracing paper, carefully marking the pattern using the yellow marking pencil, and timidly measuring all the angles to ensure the proper positi...on of the wrist. All while trying to explain to the patient the purpose of the custom splint as well as educate them on how to wear and care for the splint while making sure my finger prints did not taint my masterpieceLet’s not forget that pesky prominent ulnar styloid process that needs to be taken into consideration to prevent skin irritation. Now 15 years later, having made hundreds of ulnar gutter splints I wanted to reach out to all the OT students and new hand therapists to share my experience I am extremely grateful to have had some amazing mentors along the way who patient shared their wisdom and pointersThank you See more

Suture in Suture out This talented photographer had a carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release and was referred to HUOT days post operatively Pre-op patient presented with increased numbness and tingling in her thumb index and middle finger as well as positive locking of her 4th digit with active flexionA Carpal tunnel release is a surgical release of the transverse carpal ligament that creates the tunnel in which the median nerve passesA r...elease of this tunnel decreases the pressure in on the median nerve that causes carpal tunnel syndrome. A trigger finger release is a release of the A1 pulley This allows the flexor tendon to glide freely without clicking or locking. This patient is healing well, however presents with increased digital stiffness and mild sensitivity over the scar. The hand therapist at HUOT removed the suture and educated the patient on scar massage as well as tendon glides to increase AROM of digit. This photographer excited to regain full function of her hand so that she can resume capturing the picture perfect moment See more