Hand Therapy might be more necessary than you realize. We don’t know about you, but we put our hands and wrists through an intense workout every single day. From lifting groceries to pushing baby strollers, opening tight jars, typing on keyboards, and many other regular day-to-day tasks, our hands take a beating whether we realize it or not. 

This stress on our hands can take a painful toll. More than 54 million people have arthritis in the U.S. alone, and many of those suffer from arthritis in their hands. But whether it’s arthritis, carpal tunnel or an injury, hand therapy produces tremendous results by combining both occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Did you know there is a National Hand Therapy Week every year? Recognized the first full week of every June, National Hand Therapy Week was established by the American Society of Hand Therapists. Slated this year for June 3rd through 9th, National Hand Therapy Week serves to celebrate hand therapists around the country, raise awareness about hand and wrist injury prevention and educate the public about the benefits of hand therapy.

We’re celebrating this National Hand Therapy Week by thanking our very own Certified Hand Therapist here at Premier Physical Therapy, Donna Goodson, OTR/L, CHT. Thank a hand therapist you know and read on to learn a little more about Donna and how she joined the Premier Physical Therapy family!

 

Get to Know Donna Goodson, Premier Physical Therapy’s Certified Hand Therapist:

Why do you enjoy providing hand therapy at Premier?  I have been a hand therapist for most of my therapy career and it is constantly changing.  New treatment techniques, new surgery techniques, new conditions, and new orthotics continue to be discovered.  So, that keeps it very interesting and constantly challenging!

I love knowing a lot about one thing so knowing about hand, wrist, and elbow conditions helps me to better understand any diagnosis that is referred to Premier Physical Therapy.  I get to see a wide range of diagnosis from conservative treatment to post-surgical conditions from family doctors to surgeons. I like the variety. I love working one on one with my patients and I am able to do that here at Premier.

Lastly, I love working with the team approach here at Premier PT.  The owner, Dennis Riney, PT is an awesome role model and doesn’t require any more from us than he does from himself and he is always pushing me! He is constantly encouraging us to do our best.  He puts God and family first and that really shows here in this family-oriented environment. I also really enjoy working with the other team members here. Everyone is dedicated to providing the best care for anyone who walks through the door.  We really care about helping people. We work together as a team to help out when needed. You can tell everyone enjoys working here. You can see and feel that when you walk in the clinic.

 

What is your advice for people considering seeking hand therapy? Don’t expect to get better without putting some hard work into your therapy.  Make sure you follow the home program of exercises that are recommended! Ask questions!  Coming to therapy 2 to 3 times a week doesn’t get done what needs to be done to get full recovery.  Take therapy seriously, take ownership of your injury, set goals, talk with your therapist about your goals and make a plan to get where you want to be.  You can control more than you think you can, and we are here to help! Having a “can-do” attitude goes a long long way!

 

What are some common misconceptions about hand therapy? 1. That therapy always hurts!  That it’s “no pain, no gain!” 2. That swelling is very bad and you must wait for the swelling to go away before doing any exercises.   And why aren’t they correct?  1.  To make changes with your body, you must stress it, do more than it is doing, but this doesn’t have to be extremely painful.  I tell my patients doing nothing won’t make you better, but doing too much can also keep you from getting better. Find that middle ground, listen to your body, and challenge it little by little.  That will make the most gains overall. 2. Swelling, otherwise known as edema, is a sign that your body is trying to make changes. Moving, performing exercises, stretching, and strengthening will help manage this edema.  Now, if you have an infection, of course, edema is not good. But generally, working within your tolerance and managing the edema will help with your overall recovery. Talk to your therapist if you have concerns about your swelling.  

 

Who is a perfect fit for hand therapy? Anyone with a finger, thumb, hand, wrist, forearm, or elbow pain, stiffness, or weakness resulting from an injury.  

 

Why is Premier the best place to go for hand therapy?  We have top-notch people working here at Premier!  Our goal of getting you back to life is our number one priority.  Our hands-on, one-on-one approach can’t be matched by any other clinic.  Our dedication to keeping up with the latest treatment techniques while providing research-based approaches can’t be beaten! Come check us out!

 

Are you ready to make pain relief in your wrists and hands a priority?

Give us a call to set up an appointment at any of our three convenient locations today!

 

Cape Girardeau 573-335-7868 | Jackson 573-204-7868 | Advance 573-722-9999