#hand therapy

[lifblogs]

Hey, fellow Celiacs! You know how putty and play-doh has gluten in it? Well good news for those of us in hand/wrist physical therapy, Theraputty is made gluten free, so you don’t have to feel awful touching it, and you don’t need to worry about washing your hands after.

[raidens-realm]

Just my fav hilarious hellhound...Hagrid

@mvdeanw 😘

[nhlovesadri3]

Adriana’s ig stories

[talesofolds]

#50: Funny Bone

Yay, we hit 50 comics! In celebration, have a goofy dumb comic that’s no different from the style of any of the other comics, because that’s what you signed up for.

Transcription:

Panel 1: Wife: *bonks elbow on a countertop*

Panel 2: Wife: *sinking to the floor while clutching elbow* owwwwwwww

Panel 3: Husband: What’s wrong? Wife: I’m OK I just hurt my— my— my elbow knuckle.

Panel 4: Husband: Your FUNNY BONE, perhaps? Wife: Look, in a minute I can tell you all about the ulnar nerve and the cubital tunnel, but right now my elbow knuckle hurts.

[rvnclwtwr]

Hey lovely healthcare peeps, I made this little chart of some upper extremity muscles so I could remember how they’re innervated and which level their nerves are at, and I just thought I’d post it here in case it’s useful to anyone

EDIT: What up fam it’s your girl back again with an updated chart that should have 1. less spelling errors and 2. less anatomical errors

[talesofolds]

#49: Grand Prize

I already buy stuff on Amazon. $50 could feed my cats for a few months. My cats do not eat the annual conference. 

Transcription:

Panel 1: Wife: I got a work email saying if I take their survey, I can win one of twenty $50 Amazon cards

Panel 2: Wife: Or one of four grand prizes...”Tickets to the annual conference, valued at $700!”

Panel 3: Wife: I’d kind of prefer the Amazon card to the grand prize! Husband: No kidding!

Panel 4: Wife: I’m going to make up my own drawing...one person will win the grand prize, which is shaking hands with me. Valued at one hundred thousand dollars!

Panel 5:  Husband: Granted, you’ll get to shake it for 3 minutes straight. Wife: While singing Shake It Off!

Panel 6: Husband: Oh nooo...but if you shake their hand off...they’ll need hand therapy!

[talesofolds]

#30: Hand Therapy

Fun fact: I currently work PRN in a hand clinic, several skilled nursing facilities, and also a local school district. I’m trying to pack three years of OT experience into my first year, apparently.

Transcription:

Panel 1: Husband: 1, 2, 3, 4! I declare a thumb war! Wife: Uh oh. Be careful. I work for a hand therapist. I do this all day!

Panel 2:  Husband: With the patients? “5, 6, 7, 8, let’s see if your finger’s straight?” Wife: Yep, exactly.

Panel 3: Wife: “9, 10, 9, 10, uh oh, it broke again.” Husband: (laughing) oh noooo, Kels!

[sydneywestphysio]

Understanding Mallet Finger: when your fingertip won’t straighten

It happens in a split second: a ball hits the tip of your finger, or you catch your hand while tucking in a bedsheet. Suddenly, the end of your finger is drooping, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t lift it back up. This common injury is known as a Mallet Finger.

What are Mallet Finger Injuries?

A mallet finger occurs when the extensor tendon responsible for straightening the tip of your finger is damaged. There are two main types:

https://sydneywestphysio.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Picture-1.jpg

Tendinous Mallet: The tendon itself tears.

Bony Mallet: The force is so strong that the tendon pulls off a small piece of the bone where it attaches despite no tear in the tendon. This is known as an avulsion injury.

In both cases, the “bridge” that allows your muscles to pull the fingertip straight is broken.

Mechanism of Injury

This injury is almost always caused by a hyperflexion force—essentially, an object hitting the tip of a straight finger and forcing it to bend further than it’s meant to. While common in ball sports like cricket or baseball, it frequently happens during mundane household chores.

Typical Symptoms

The “Droop”: The most obvious sign is the tip of the finger resting at a downward angle.

Inability to Straighten: You can push the finger straight with your other hand, but you can’t hold it there using its own strength.

Pain and Swelling: Especially around the outermost knuckle.

What to Do?

The golden rule for Mallet Finger is continuous splinting. To heal, the two ends of the tendon (or bone) must be kept in perfect contact. This usually requires wearing a specialised splint 24/7 for 6 to 8 weeks. Even removing it for a few seconds to wash your hands can “reset” the healing clock if the finger droops.

What if I leave it?

If left untreated, the imbalance of forces between your tendons in your finger can cause the middle knuckle to overextend while the fingertip remains bent, leading to a permanent “Swan Neck” deformity. This misalignment significantly disrupts the hand’s natural mechanics, making it difficult to perform basic tasks like gripping or buttoning a shirt.

Concluding Remarks

Early intervention is the key to avoiding a permanent deformity and promote adequate healing. Our hand therapists can make you a custom splint, ensure your splint fits correctly, monitor your skin health and guide you through a safe strengthening program once the tissue has knitted back together.

Best of luck on your road to recovery!