CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN HAND THERAPY!

www.handworks.net.auNewsletter June 2020

1300 887 798Specialists in hand and upper limb rehabilitation

Hand WorksOccupational Therapy

HAND THERAPY AWARENESS WEEK1 – 7 JUNE 2020

WHY SEND YOUR PATIENTS FOR HAND THERAPY?“Hands on therapy engages patients and individualised home exercise programs encourage the highest functional outcomes. Patient education is a strong focus, with support to embrace rehabilitation and avoid reinjury, and even surgery”.

Call 1300 887 798 to speak to a therapist today.

NEW WEBSITEClick here to check it out now!

Easy to navigate, full of information for both patients and professionals – we’d love to hear your feedback.

“lending a hand is our job!”

www.handworks.net.au

Specialists in hand and upper limb rehabilitation

Hand WorksOccupational Therapy

1300 887 798

Newsletter June 2020

NIAMH MASTERSON Niamh (Neve) Masterson graduated

in 2016 from Curtin University. Working in both public hospital and private settings in Singapore, Niamh brings this knowledge back home to Perth

and in particular to Hand Works.

“I enjoy coaching my patients back to their occupations and hobbies,

as well as crafting customised thermoplastic orthoses.”

NIKKI PIKE Administration Assistant

Nikki is located predominantly in our new Rockingham clinic location,

ready to welcome and assist patients in all things “admin”!

“The new clinic is fabulous and I’m loving learning new skills

in a familiar role.”

WELCOMEBack before life got a little bit crazy, we welcomed some new team members to Hand Works.

TAHLIYA NORMAN Tahliya Norman is a recent

Occupational Therapy graduate from Curtin University. With her

practical placements in both public as well as private hand therapy

clinics, Tahliya soon realised hands was her interest. Her passion and enthusiasm is contagious and she

has quickly settled in at several Hand Works clinic locations.

ROCKINGHAM CLINIC MOVEAfter 20 years, we have made the move from Leghorn Street and are now located at 24 Pedlar Circuit, Rockingham (inside Sonic Health Medical Centre). Same great service with modern, spacious treating rooms with private reception and waiting room areas.

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“I love hand therapy as it is a very specialised profession, we have the ability to understand one specific area so thoroughly. I also enjoy being able to work with patients to reach their

functional goals and tailoring therapy sessions to their needs.” - Tahliya

CONGRATULATIONS KASS!Back in November, our newest addition to the Hand Works family arrived “Poppy Kay Jenkin”. We were lucky enough to get pre-social distancing cuddles and Kass is absolutely thriving in her new role as a mum.

1300 887 798Specialists in hand and upper limb rehabilitation

Hand WorksOccupational Therapy

www.handworks.net.auNewsletter June 2020

CLINICAL CORNERWHAT IS SKIER’S THUMB?Skier’s thumb is the term used to describe injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. It is the most common collateral ligament injury to the thumb. Injury to the UCL usually occurs when someone falls with a ski pole in hand when skiing. In Western Australia we generally see this injury caused by various other mechanisms such as sporting injuries, biking accidents, falls on outstretched hand or a work-related injury where the thumb has been hyperextended.

When someone has Skier’s Thumb they may present with swelling, pain and instability when compared to the other thumb. Cases range from a chronic sprain or mild acute sprain to complete tearing of the UCL. Injury may also include a bony avulsion fracture which can be ruled out by an X-ray.

At Hand Works we use various clinical tests to determine the severity of injury to the ligament. Treatment will usually require fabrication of a customised hand-based thermoplastic splint to immobilise the thumb to allow healing to occur. If we are concerned there is a full rupture, we would recommend an ultrasound after we have

placed the patient in a splint, this is to ensure patient is still appropriate for conservative management. Occasionally a “Stener Lesion” occurs which is when the adductor aponeurosis of the adductor pollicis muscle sits between the torn ligaments preventing healing. If this is the case, we would refer the patient for surgery and recommence hand therapy post-surgery.

Following a period of immobilisation patient will be provided with an extensive home program consisting of stretches, oedema and scar management and graded strengthening program to assist patient in gaining full function of their hand.

If you would like more information on how we can manage your patient with a ligament injury to their thumb, please contact a therapist on 1300 887 798.

WILDCATS WINNERSFive (5) lucky winners in our Wildcats Corporate Box Competition, joined us in February for a fantastic event.

We experienced an exclusive behind the scenes tour including meeting Trevor Gleeson, watching the team enter the stadium and where it all happens before the game. For us the highlight was meeting new people, enjoying delicious food and drinks and then a Wildcats win to top it all off!

Thank you again to those who joined us and keep an eye out in the future for another opportunity to win!

MURDOCH WEST PERTH

SOUTH PERTHDUNCRAIG

MT LAWLEY KEWDALE

MANDURAHROCKINGHAM

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www.handworks.net.auNewsletter June 2020

1300 887 798

WHAT DO WE DO?Using a variety of specialised treatment techniques, our aim is to optimise the function of a patient’s upper extremity following surgery, injury or disease to improve their quality of life at home, work and daily life.

Below is a list of the more common conditions we see:

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

DE QUERVAIN’S TENOSYNOVITIS

DUPUYTREN’S CONDITION

ELBOW DISLOCATIONS OR FRACTURES

FINGER DISLOCATIONS

FRACTURES

HAND STIFFNESS

LIGAMENT INJURY TO THE WRIST

NERVE INJURIES AND COMPRESSIONS

TENDON INJURIES

TENNIS ELBOW AND GOLFER’S ELBOW

THUMB ARTHRITIS

TRIANGULAR FIBROCARTILAGE COMPLEX (TFCC)

TRIGGER FINGER

WOUNDS / SCAR MANAGEMENT

WRIST PAIN

Specialists in hand and upper limb rehabilitation

Hand WorksOccupational Therapy