The human hand is an incredibly complex extremity. Day in and day out our hands touch, feel and carry many things.Without your hands you wouldn’t be able to feel if your pot was still hot or feel the difference between materials.Without your hands you wouldn’t be able to carry in your groceries or pick up your child.
Through a carefully orchestrated integration of muscles, a person uses their hands to execute many different functions, most of which are vital to activities of daily living. Patients with a hand injury can lose their functional abilities and many times they experience pain which can be sudden, sporadic or constant pain and many times will become chronic.
Patients suffering from hand dysfunction can often benefit from “splinting.”
A splint is a custom-made device that is designed and created by an occupational therapist or certified hand therapist. The art and science of a proper splint construction lies in the understanding and knowledge of the complex anatomy and biomechanics of the human hand and arm.An experienced therapist will design and fit a splint based on the condition and individual needs of the patient.
Health&Fitness Splinting, when properly designed and fitted, has been proven to increase hand function, reduce pain and help to return patients to their normal level of function.
There are many different types of splints. Splints that restrict movement are called Static and Serial Static. Static splints are the most common splints fabricated. They can be used to improve function through the stabilization, protection and support to a body part.
Serial static splints or casts are applied when the muscle and tendons are stretched to their maximum.They are molded by the therapist to maintain this lengthened position and are generally nonremovable.
Splints that mobilize are called dynamic and static progressive.
Dynamic splints generate a movement or force on a specific muscle that can result in a gain of movement.These controlled forces that cause the movement can be applied using rubber bands, springs or elastic cords.
Static progressive splints achieve mobilization by applying a constant low-load force to the muscle.This is very similar to the dynamic splint; however it uses nonelastic materials for the force. Some patients tolerate this better than a dynamic splint because they are able to control the tension and will therefore wear it longer.
For maximum effectiveness, hand splinting is often combined with other treatment techniques such as stretching, heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation and strengthening exercises. Splints can be prescribed to be worn during the day, at night, at all times or for a specific activity to assist hand function. Patients are instructed in the correct way to wear, use and care for the splints.
At First Rehab we have an exclusive hand center, directed by a certified hand therapist.A certified hand therapist is an occupational or physical therapist who has a minimum of five years of clinical experience, which includes up to 4,000 hours or more of direct clinical practice in hand therapy. In addition, the certified hand therapist has successfully passed a comprehensive test of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper quarter rehabilitation. Due to this extensive training and strict certifying guidelines there are only about 5,000 certified hand therapists nationwide. With experience and compassionate care, a certified hand therapist successfully treats many patients with splinting and other therapeutic techniques.
Kelly M.Thacker, M.S., OTR/L, CHT is a certified hand therapist and occupational therapist at First Rehab Physical Therapy, 404 Main St., Suite A, Spotswood. For more information, call 732-251-6640.