At the end of November, the Melbourne Hand Therapy team gathered at the Commons Collective in Melbourne. It was an amazing opportunity for the team to catch up face to face, have a laugh and celebrate the holiday season, after another challenging year. A huge thank you to Jennifer Mathias for organising the fun event for her team. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Some of our hand therapists recently received their certification in upper limb dry needling after completing extensive training at the Global Education of Manual Therapists. Dry needling can be used in conjuction with your other upper limb rehabilitation activities. Dry needling helps reduce pain and stiffness by stimulating the muscle to produce a reflex relaxation. Other benefits include increasing blood flow to the target area to initiate the healing process and creating electrical signals in the muscle to enhance function and communication between the brain, nerves and muscle.
The technique involves the use of a very fine needle is to target ‘muscle knots’ known as trigger points. The aim is to restore the muscles to a normal tone and improve range of movement to help patients return to their previous activity level. Speak to our therapists today if you are interested in the benefits of having dry needling as part of your treatment plan.
Finger hyperextension injuries or dislocations are very common in a broad range of sports. They usually affect the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPj) or middle joint of the finger. These injuries often result in either a tear or avulsion fracture to the volar plate ligament. The accessory/collateral ligaments (on either side of the joint), are often affected as well, as they attach into the volar plate. This can be why the whole joint is painful.
When should you seek treatment?
If you fit into any of the previous categories, it’s always best to see your GP and get an X-ray early. At Melbourne Hand Therapy we can assess the severity of your injury and review any scans to assess whether a surgical consultation is required. If conservative management is appropriate, we will guide you through this process with splinting (usually 4-6 weeks) and a home exercise program. We will then work with you to get you back to work/sport as soon as possible.
The Melbourne Hand Therapy team will be available to provide therapy and support throughout the end of year holiday period. We will be closed on the 27th and 28th of December 2021 and the 3rd of January 2022. Some of our locations will remain open on weekdays during this period. Please check our website or social media pages for any updates regarding our opening hours. The MHT team would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
