Protective splinting
We make a custom thermoplastic splint in your appointment to hold the injured tendon, nerve or ligament in a safe position while it heals.
Tendon, nerve & ligament injuries
Careful rehab for the parts that move you.
Tendons, nerves and ligaments let your hand move, feel and stay stable. When one is injured, the way it is protected and moved during healing really matters. We provide specialised hand therapy that follows your surgeon's or doctor's protocol and helps you through each stage, close to home in Bass Coast.
Understanding it
What is going on?
Tendons connect muscles to bones and let your fingers bend and straighten. Nerves carry feeling and signals to the muscles. Ligaments hold your joints together. These can be injured by a cut, a sudden jolt, a fall or a sports injury. Some injuries are repaired with surgery and some are managed with a splint. Because these tissues heal slowly and can be easily re-injured, rehab usually follows a careful, step by step plan.
Common reasons people come in
- You have had a tendon repaired after a cut to your finger, hand or wrist
- You cannot straighten the tip of your finger after it was jammed or knocked
- You have injured the ligament at the base of your thumb, for example in a fall or while skiing
- You have a sprained finger joint or wrist that stays sore, swollen or unstable
- You have numbness or altered feeling after a nerve injury or repair
- Your surgeon has asked you to start hand therapy after a repair
Our approach
How hand therapy can help.
Following your surgeon's protocol
Tendon and nerve repairs usually have a set plan for when and how to move. We follow your surgeon's protocol and keep them informed of your progress.
Controlled exercises
We guide you through specific exercises at the right time, to help the tissue glide and to reduce stiffness without putting the repair at risk.
Sensation and scar care
After nerve injuries we may use sensory retraining to help your brain make sense of changing feeling. We also help care for scars that feel tight or sensitive.
The road back
What recovery can look like.
- Protect
The injured tissue is supported in a splint, and movement is limited or carefully controlled as your surgeon or doctor directs.
- Early controlled movement
Specific, guided movements begin to help the tissue glide and to reduce stiffness, while still protecting the repair.
- Build strength
Once the tissue is strong enough, we gradually add light activity and then strengthening.
- Return to activity
We help you return to work, sport and daily life at a pace that suits your injury. Timeframes vary, and nerve recovery in particular can be slow.
Every recovery is different. Timeframes depend on your injury, any surgery, and your treating doctor's or surgeon's advice.
When to start
If you have a cut to your hand with numbness or trouble bending or straightening a finger, seek medical care urgently. After a tendon or nerve repair, surgeons often want hand therapy to start soon after surgery, so it helps to book as early as you can. For jammed fingers and sprains, it is a good idea to get assessed sooner rather than later.
Questions
Tendon, nerve & ligament injuries, answered.
Why does tendon rehab have so many rules?
A repaired tendon is weakest in the early weeks. Moving it too much can risk the repair, and not moving it can lead to stiffness, so therapy follows a careful plan set with your surgeon.
Will the feeling come back after a nerve injury?
Nerves heal slowly and recovery is different for everyone. Your surgeon or doctor can explain what to expect for your injury, and we can support you along the way.
Do I need surgery for a ligament injury?
Some ligament injuries heal well with a splint and therapy, and others need surgery. Your doctor or surgeon will decide this, and we can help with either path.
Ready to get started?
No referral needed. Call to book, or send an enquiry and we'll get back to you.