Jennifer Mathias
MHT Director
Senior Clinician
This last month has been busy with our therapists finalising their AHTA accreditation requirements. MHT is very active in supporting our therapists to advance their specialist hand and upper limb skills and this involves external courses, exams, and assignments.
Both Morgan and Lucy have enrolled in the Advanced Closed Trauma course coming up in October. Lucy, Jaime and Terri are all involved in a fortnightly mentorship program run by our senior accredited AHTA therapists, Kate and Emmeline. This commitment involves engaging in a period of 12-18 months of supervision and presentations along the way.
Jaime states that he has been progressively working towards achieving full accreditation with the Australian Hand Therapy Association since 2019. He is on the home stretch and looking forward to completing the two remaining courses over the next 12 months.
Over the past few years, he has engaged in electives in splinting, dry needling, fracture management and physical modalities to continue to expand his knowledge beyond the core training requirements of accreditation. He states “I have really enjoyed the peer mentoring and support from the team at MHT throughout the process.”
Colleen and I are packing our bags for the ATHA conference in Adelaide for the weekend of 17-20th August so we look forward to bringing back any newfound knowledge when we return.
We wish our gorgeous Kim all the best for her maternity leave. Kim had to finish up now at 36 weeks pregnant to rest and put her feet up. We will keep you posted on her baby news which won’t be far away.
On the 14/15th July our wonderful therapists Haley, Emmeline, Kate and Jaime presented to post graduate therapists sharing our expertise on the rehabilitation of tendon injuries, wrist conditions, osteoarthritis, dupuytren’s, carpal tunnel, trigger fingers, de Quervain’s and wound and scar management. We got amazing feedback from the therapists that enrolled in the course.
Rotator cuff tears are relatively common, especially as people age. The prevalence of rotator cuff tears increases with age, with studies suggesting that they affect approximately 20% of individuals over the age of 60. However, it’s important to note that not all rotator cuff tears cause symptoms or require surgical intervention.
The treatment for a rotator cuff tear depends on several factors, including the size, location, and severity of the tear, as well as the individual’s symptoms, activity level, and overall health. While surgery may be necessary for some cases, it is not always the first-line treatment option. Non-surgical approaches are often attempted initially, and these can be effective in managing symptoms and improving function. Non-surgical treatments may include:
If conservative treatments do not provide sufficient relief or if the tear is severe, surgery may be recommended. Surgical options for rotator cuff tears include arthroscopic repair (using small incisions and specialized instruments) or open repair (larger incision). The goal of surgery is to reattach the torn tendon to the bone and restore normal shoulder function.
It’s important to consult with an orthopaedic surgeon or a physiotherapist for a thorough evaluation and personalized treatment recommendation based on your specific circumstances. They will consider factors such as the size and severity of the tear, your symptoms, functional goals, and overall health to determine the most appropriate course of action.
By Dominic Tan
