Preparing for a Hand Therapy placement

 Published: 26/12/2020

Updated: 06/01/2021

These are my hints and tips on how to effectively prepare for a hand therapy placement

What you need to know

• Hand anatomy (especially the bones, tendons and nerves)
• Complex regional pain syndrome (potential red flag)

Useful conditions to research

• Fractures
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Hand OA
• Hand RA
• Mallet finger

Hand anatomy

This is how I learned my hand anatomy

Helpful tip: Think Palmar surface = flexors, dorsal surface = extensors

Conditions of the hand

I found it useful to group the conditions based on what structure was involved

Management or treatment plans

Useful resources

South Tees Hospital Exercise videos https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/services/physiotherapy/hand-therapy/hand-therapy-exercises-patients/

British Society for Surgery of the Hand: Hand Disorders https://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/hand_disorders

British Association of Hand Therapists: NHS England Patient Information leaflets https://www.hand-therapy.co.uk/patients/nhs_england_patient_information_leaflets.aspx

British Society for Surgery of the Hand: Hand Injuries https://www.bssh.ac.uk/patients/conditions/hand_injuries

Review journal articles

Mallet injury: Alla, S.R., Nicole, D.D., Dempsey, I.J. (2014) ‘Current concepts: mallet finger’, Hand, 9, pp.138-144. 

Dupuytren's contracture: Kitridis, D., Karamitsou, P., Giannaros, I., Papadakis, N., Sinopidis, C. and Givissis, P. (2019) 'Dupuytren's disease: limited fasciectomy, night splinting, and hand exercises - long term results', European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Trauamatology, 29, pp.349-355.

Rheumatoid arthritis: Forestier, R. , Andre-Vert, Joelle, Guillez, P., Coudeyre, E., Lefevre-Colau, M-M, Combe, B. and Mayoux-Benhamou, M.A. (2009) 'Non-drug treatment (excluding surgery) in rheumatoid arthritis: Clinical practice guidelines', Joint Bone Spine, pp.691-698.