Jennifer Mathias
MHT Director
Senior Clinician
This Mother’s Day, we extend our warmest wishes to all the incredible mothers and mother figures in our community. Whether you’re a mother, a daughter, or someone who nurtures and cares, we recognise the important role that you play in the health and well-being of your families and our community. Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Melbourne Hand Therapy.
I would also like to welcome Yonali to our team. Yonali holds a Doctorate in Physiotherapy from Melbourne University. She has joined us following a period at Monash Health, where she worked in a rotational role in acute, subacute and community setting. Yonali is working at our East Ringwood rooms, Blackburn rooms and at Eastlink, Wantirna.
Our therapists have been busy doing courses, exams and furthering their studies. Max is attending a wrist workshop on Friday and Morgan has just completed an arthritis course.
Base of Thumb Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of elderly disability, impacting 2.1 million Australians and 7% of the global population (AIHW, 2024). As hand therapists, we regularly see patients who experience arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis (OA) at the base of thumb joint (carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ)). Risk factors include age, gender, bone malignment, reduced muscle strength, joint hypermobility and genetic predisposition. The CMCJ is prone to developing OA due to this instability, lack of confinement and high degree of stress. With every 1kg force put through the tip of the thumb when grasping and pinching, the CMCJ takes on 6kg (Giurintano, 1995). Due to the degenerative nature of this condition, patients experience increase in pain and decrease in strength and function and therefore find participating in meaningful activities challenging.
How can Hand Therapists help with your Base of Thumb Osteoarthritis?
From evidence-based research, taking on a multimodal approach for treatment OA is recommended. Your hand therapy will recommend and tailor your treatment specific to you.
Splinting
Based on the severity of your arthritis and your level of discomfort, your therapist will guide you in selecting the best splinting strategy. The goal is to help alleviate pain and reduce inflammation while positioning your thumb in the optimal alignment for daily activities. Splinting options may include a customised thermoplastic splint, a neoprene prefabricated brace or a push-brace. Your therapist will ensure that the chosen approach aligns with your specific functional goals and comfort.
Joint Protection Education and Adaptive Equipment
Tasks such as opening a tight jar or turning a tap are common activities that individuals dealing with thumb OA find challenging. The pain, stiffness, and decreased strength in the thumb joint can make even the simplest activities feel frustrating and overwhelming. Your hand therapist will work closely with you to provide valuable education on adaptive equipment and techniques that can make these tasks easier and more manageable. For example, they may recommend using jar openers with ergonomic handles that require less grip strength or suggest faucet turners designed to give you better leverage with minimal effort. Additionally, they might introduce you to assistive devices like buttonhooks for dressing or specialised utensils for eating, which can reduce strain on your thumb and allow you to maintain independence in daily activities. By incorporating these tools and techniques into your routine, your hand therapist will help you regain a sense of control and comfort while reducing the stress on your thumb joint, allowing you to continue enjoying your daily life without the added difficulty of OA symptoms.
Exercises
Your hand therapy will create a graded dynamic home exercise program that focuses on strengthening the stabilising muscles and ligaments of the base of the thumb. The exercises aim to not only to improve muscular strength but to restore the functional integrity of the joint by enhancing neuromuscular control and correct mechanical imbalance contributing to pain and dysfunction.
Arthritis Course Australian Hand Therapy Association
As part of Morgan’s accreditation, she completed a 2-day course on Arthritis through the Australian Hand Therapy Association. This course equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of arthritis and auto-immune conditions that people can experience within the upper limb. Theoretical concepts included its pathology and biomechanics, diagnostic and assessment techniques, common deformities and various conservative, surgical and post-operative treatment strategies.
Morgan had the opportunity to learn to fabricate an ulnar drift splint, oval 8 and a neoprene finger stall. Splints are used to help treat patients experiencing deformities, pain and/or inflammation with rheumatoid and/or osteo arthritis.
Your MHT therapist can develop a tailored program suited to your specific condition and lifestyle. Whether you’re managing pain or looking to prevent further injury, we’re here to help.
Call us or book online to schedule a consultation today.
Thank you for being part of the MHT community. We look forward to supporting you and your patients with expert care, compassion, and innovation.
Kerrie
Was not healing from a break in my dominant left hand back in December until I started with Hand Therapy on 4th April and have not looked back since. Thanks goes to Catriona and staff.
Alex
Service has been excellent, Allison has been in particular quite professional and informative in her supporting my recovery. The receptionists have been very helpful and approachable with my enquiries.
Rob
Absolutely amazing, Alison explained everything very clearly and emphasised how slow and steady is the key. Concentrate on the exercises and don’t overdo it. I’m just over three weeks and my hand has healed up really well, movement is good and strength is improving.
