Remember the word P.R.I.C.E: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation- the first-aid measures to be followed within the first 72 hours of a hand injury.
Properly treating your injuries with a physical therapist isn’t just about healing this single injury. Injuries that don’t heal correctly can lead to further injuries, and physical therapy will help it heal the right way to help prevent further injuries.
There are many different modalities used in hand physical therapy. Therapeutic exercises can focus on everything from pain control, range of motion, strengthening, sensibility testing, and sensory discrimination.
PM&R doctors can be particularly helpful to people struggling with arthritis. Often, a combination of medications, exercise, and orthotics can help reduce pain and swelling, slow cartilage loss, and increase overall mobility and physical function.
Arthritis is a broad term that can define more than 100 inflammatory conditions that affect joints with pain and swelling. While this is a chronic condition, symptoms can be managed.
The good news? With arthritis, receiving the right combination of treatments early can reduce pain and improve day-to-day mobility. The better news? Early intervention can significantly slow the degenerative effects according to physical therapy experts.
