Effective long-term management of brachial plexus injury following surgery: What is needed from hand therapists ’ perspectives
Adult brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) are associated with physical and psychological impacts whereby the associated pain and functional limitations can have a profound impact on daily life.1 While different mechanisms of injury lead to different injury patterns, closed traction injuries commonly involve young men involved in motor vehicle accidents.2 Evidence demonstrates the substantial societal burden of BPI via work absenteeism and utilization of healthcare resources.3-6 Over the last few decades surgical options for BPI have both increased and improved with common procedures including nerve transfers, tendon transfers,...
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - March 2, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Dr Sara Brito, Dr Jennifer White, Dr Bridget Hill, Dr Nikos Thomacos Source Type: research
Intra-rater reliability of goniometry to measure scapular protraction and retraction
Goniometry is a foundational clinical skill used in rehabilitative professions to assess the amount of motion available at a specific joint using anatomical landmarks. This clinical technique is frequently utilized both in client evaluation and as an outcome measure to document therapeutic progress.1(pp24) However, the measurement of scapular protraction and retraction is complicated due to the atypical structure and arthrokinematic pattern of the scapulothoracic joint. The complex, multi-planar movement of the scapula along the thorax during protraction and retraction, combined with the thick surrounding tissue, creates b...
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 28, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Nathan Short, Thomas G. Almonroeder, Caroline A. Fenker, Olivia A. Fisher, Kailey E. Francetic, Amy E. Hodel, Clayton A. Lange, Manu M. Mathew Source Type: research
Kinematic evaluation and reliability assessment of the Nine Hole Peg Test for manual dexterity
Manual dexterity is defined as the ability to generate voluntary, coordinated and fine movements to grasp and manipulate objects, and is considered an essential motor skill for ensuring a satisfactory upper limb function.1,2 It is also crucial for the successful performance of several daily tasks and requires the integration of hand biomechanics, highly evolved sensorimotor functions and advanced cognitive processes.3 (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 26, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Federico Temporiti, Serena Mandaresu, Alessandra Calcagno, Stefania Coelli, Anna Maria Bianchi, Roberto Gatti, Manuela Galli Source Type: research
User experiences of digital prostheses in daily functioning in people with an amputation of thumb or finger
Digital amputation is a condition that is often seen in hand therapy practice. Clinical experience shows that hyperesthesia and loss of strength, grip, dexterity and appearance are the main complaints experienced by patients and shared with the hand therapist. Pillet et al.1 state that partial or total loss of a finger can have an important effect on aesthetics and functionality for patients. Digital prostheses can fulfil various needs for patients, such as improving grip, strength, and manipulation of objects; restoring body image; or any combination of differen t possibilities. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 25, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Vera G. van Heijningen, Ann Underhill Source Type: research
Hand laterality recognition in distal radius and/or ulna fracture
Hand laterality is a crucial ability for performing our day-to-day activities. Implicit motor imagery often referred to as hand laterality is defined as the ability of an individual to determine whether a hand is left or right.1,2 This can be evaluated with the help of a hand laterality recognition task, a valid and reliable tool for assessment of implicit memory, also called the Right-Left discrimination test. In this test, various pictures of either left or right hand in varied degrees of angular rotation are displayed to the patient and they are instructed to identify the laterality of displayed hand. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 25, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Dipti Baban Geete, Pratha Umesh Mehta, Neha Dewan, Amita Anil Mehta Tags: Clinical Research Report Source Type: research
Is massage an effective intervention in the management of post-operative scarring? A scoping review
Surgical intervention is a fundamental component of modern health care and data published in 2016 reported an estimated 312.9 million operations performed worldwide.1 Hand surgery is the 5th most common plastic surgery procedure in the United States.2 The body's physiological response to sustaining a wound caused by surgery is to initiate a complex overlapping series of events to restore cutaneous integrity through inflammation, proliferation and remodelling.3 Scarring is a normal part of the wound healing process, but aberrant wound healing can result in hypertrophic scarring. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 25, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Helen C. Scott, Claire Stockdale, Andrea Robinson, Luke S Robinson, Ted Brown Source Type: research
Overhead arm positioning in the rehabilitation of elbow dislocations: An in vitro biomechanical study
The elbow is the second most frequently dislocated major joint in adults.1 Elbow dislocations comprise 10%-25% of all elbow injuries and occur in approximately five per 100,000 persons annually.2 Dislocations result in damage to the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the elbow, which can result in persistent and disabling elbow instability.3,4 Dislocations may be classified as simple or complex, characterised by the absence or presence of fractures, respectively. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - February 25, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Ranita H.K. Manocha, Sara Banayan, James A. Johnson, Graham J.W. King Source Type: research
Prescription of exercise relative motion orthoses to improve limited proximal interphalangeal joint movement: A prospective, mulit-center, consecutive case series
There are 2 types of relative motion orthoses each identified by the position of the affected finger's metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ); relative motion extension (RME) and relative motion flexion (RMF).1 The RME orthosis positions the involved finger's MCPJ in greater extension and the RMF orthosis positions the involved finger's MCPJ is in more flexion than those not affected.1 Hirth et al1 reported that clinical use of relative motion orthoses outpaces that reported in the literature, and has proposed 3 categories for relative motion orthosis application- protective, exercise, and adaptive. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 14, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Sally Wajon, Julianne W Howell Source Type: research
Desired student characteristics for hand therapy clinical placements: A mixed method study
Fieldwork experiences and clinical rotations provide occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) students with hands-on learning experiences in the field. Placing students in the correct site can be a tedious job, making sure that the location, interest, and educators are matched to the student, and vice versa.1 In recent years, there have been concerns about a shortage of clinical placements for students.2 As the number of students increases, the number of OT's willing to serve as a fieldwork educator has decreased by 21%. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 13, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Kristin Valdes, Jennifer Castelli Source Type: research
“It was like a bad dream”: Making sense of violent hand amputation and replantation in South Africa
South Africans are faced with one of the highest rates of violent crime worldwide, much of which spills over into the treatment of hand injuries by occupational therapists.1 –3 With an average of 58 murders every day, the homicide rate is more than 5 times the global average.4,5 In fact, approximately 50% of injuries requiring health care in South Africa (SA) are caused by interpersonal violence.6 Accordingly, South African therapists treat high numbers of deliberate hand injuries; the percentage sometimes reaching as high as 69%, as revealed by a recent study on extensor tendon repairs (n=75). (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 12, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Wendy Young, Pragashnie Govender, Deshini Naidoo Source Type: research
A modified-delphi study establishing consensus in the therapeutic management of posttrauamtic elbow stiffness
Stiffness is a common complication after elbow trauma, with an incidence ranging from 2% to 89% often impacted by the significance of trauma and prolonged immobilization.1-3 Loss of range of motion (ROM) at the elbow is difficult to prevent due to the constrained and congruent nature of the elbow, the capsule response to injury, and patient factors contributing to stiffness.4-7 Once stiffness occurs after trauma normal ROM is rarely restored, and implementation of early rehabilitation is strongly supported for both operative and nonoperative management of elbow trauma. (Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 12, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Mary Whitten, Sheri P. Silfies, Namrata Grampurohit, Jane M. Fedorczyk Source Type: research
Reflection and change in unprecedented times
Unprecedented times, we have heard that phrase so often during this past year. The definition of unprecedented is never done or known before. The time since the onset of COVID has brought us experiences that we have never encountered before. This past year the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) annual meeting was held in a virtual format for the first time and this year in person attendance is limited to 400 attendees. Some of us have lost friends and loved ones due to illness, some of us have lost financial resources due to loss of a job or change in work status, some of us have suffered depression or anxiety rega...
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 12, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Kristin Valdes Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Table of Contents
(Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 1, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research
Editorial Board / Masthead / ASHT Officers
(Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 1, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research
Instructions for authors
(Source: Journal of Hand Therapy)
Source: Journal of Hand Therapy - January 1, 2022 Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research
