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Benefits of an Arm Care Program for Overhead Athletes in the Off-Season

Posted on by Vanessa Retondo, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. We’re hanging up our bats and gloves, coaches are making their rosters and checking them twice, and soon, our mounds and dugouts will be lightly covered in a fresh blanket of snow. ‘Tis the season – the off-season, that is.

While we’re filling our bellies with holiday cookies and taking that much-needed break from throwing, giving our arm the TLC it deserves after carrying us through the season is important. In fact, the best gift we could give our arm is a comprehensive arm care program.

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3 Hand Injuries Commonly Seen During The Football Season

Posted on by Erik Krol, MOT, OTR/L

The fall season is a wonderful time of year for annual traditions. With fall comes back to school, which also means football. Football is a sport that so many people love to rally around, as it offers opportunities for gatherings and helps create an identity for a team, school, and town. That is the beautiful truth about football. Like all sports, the ugly truth is that it can lead to injury. Here are three common upper extremity injuries football players face and the causes for each.

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Hand Injuries Common To Rock Climbers

Posted on by Shelia M. Tenny, OTR/L, CHT

Rock climbers face many types of injuries to their bodies, be it from falling rock, or one’s worst fear, a trauma from a fall event. What many don’t realize is the risk to the entire body, especially the hands. Climbers can experience overuse when training, particularly when training indoors, repeating the same routes multiple times. This can lead to shoulder and elbow tendonitis. However, most climbers don’t fear these types of injuries, but rather finger injuries. Even though rock climbing is a full body exercise, fingers make the most contact with rocks or grips, thus taking more stress than other body parts.

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How To Relieve Achy Hands

Posted on by Cara Dart, OTR/L

Do you ever find yourself experiencing achiness or stiffness in your hands? Whether it is from typing on a computer all day, gardening, or even trying to open a jar of pasta sauce, achy hands can really impact your ability to perform daily activities. Luckily, there are several strategies to relieve achy hands so you can complete the tasks that are important to you.

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A Helping Hand: How Hand Therapy Can Help You Recover After A Hand Injury

Posted on by Allison Sweeney, OTR/L

The hand is an essential component in almost every aspect of our daily lives. Hands are required in common tasks like driving, cooking, dressing, eating, and grooming. Hand injuries are amongst the most common injuries in the US. In fact, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hand is the second most common body part to be injured at work. Participation in hand therapy following a hand injury is proven to help patients recover. According to recent studies, patients who attended hand therapy following a wrist fracture achieved significantly greater increases in wrist range of motion and grip strength after six weeks compared to patients who received no therapy. In this blog we will be discussing the importance of participation in hand therapy following a hand injury or surgery.

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What Does Physical Therapy Look Like After A Stroke?

Posted on by Andrew Cassidy, PT, DPT

During one year in the United States, 795,000 people will have a stroke, or cerebrovascular accident (CVA)1. Of these, 610,000 will be first-time CVA1. This is obviously a large number, and chances are you know someone who has experienced, or will know someone who will experience a CVA.

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How Do I Know If I Have Carpal Tunnel?

Posted on by Allison Sweeney, OTR/L

In the United States, 1-3 per 1000 persons are diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome Yearly. When identified and addressed early, carpal tunnel can be easily treated with therapy, splinting, exercises, and ergonomic modifications, preventing surgery. This blog will discuss common symptoms, causes, and treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.

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Writer’s Cramp

Posted on by Shelia M. Tenny, OTR/L, CHT

Writer’s cramp is a form of dystonia, or involuntary muscle contractions, which makes the fingers and hand move into abnormal postures when writing or performing other intensive hand activities, such as typing, playing an instrument, eating/feeding, brushing teeth, or brushing hair. This can cause pain, spasms, fatigue, and decreased legibility of penmanship or decreased task performance. A specific activity or movement can bring on the symptoms. The fingers may extend straight, or the wrist may flex and bend while the elbow extends straight. One might lose their grip or feel uncoordinated. Muscle spasms and hand cramps are more common in men than women. Poor posture and increased writing or playing time of an instrument can play a part in the symptoms, as well as increased stress or anxiety.

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