Our Hands Are Our Tools!

 Our hands are our tools for every activity we complete in our day. When they are affected by conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or injuries, our daily life is impacted.  One way to keep our hands working and get them back to being the tools we rely on, is a custom hand splint. 

A custom hand splint is made by an Occupational Therapist who uses a lightweight heat-moldable plastic to fit the unique structure of your hand.  It can be made in about an hour and is ready to wear immediately. It is often used as a means of preventing further stress to the structures of the hand while healing is taking place. Another use is to hold the hand and thumb in a favourable position to reduce the progression of arthritis. Many splints are made so that the affected hand can still be used for any desired activity. 

 There are many different types of custom hand splints. A resting hand splint keeps the hand in a resting position. It is used for patients who suffer from hand cramps that force their hands into a fist. Weight-bearing splints are used in situations where the hand becomes weak and can't carry things. This helps prevent loss of strength. A thumb spica splint is another example. The object of this splint is to keep the thumb from curling into the palm but also allowing enough mobility for the fingers and thumb to pick up objects

If you think you would benefit from a custom hand splint, contact Maximum Physiotherapy at 444-3600 to set up an appointment with Allison LeGros, our Occupational Therapist, or check out:  www.maximumphysiotherapy.com