We see all different types of hand injures. From the smallest jams to the most horrific accident injures.
Your hands do everything for you, from shaking someone’s hands to cutting up your food to typing on your phone- we were blessed with these complex tools that allow us to be completely independent and productive.
I mean without your hands, it’s hard to drive. Without your hands, it’s hard to work. Without your hands, it’s hard to show intimate affection through touch.
You get me if you have ever had a hand injury.
No matter how small or large, there’s a reason your hands may still be hurting.
- stiffness
- scarring
- imbalances of the joints and muscles
Stiffness:
If your hands still hurt, look at how much motion you have as compared to the other hand. Each joint has a certain amount of motion that your hands and body type like to have to feel comfortable.
If you are lacking that motion, your hands can continue to hurt. Instead of trying to get it stronger, stretch each joint out as tolerated.
Once you have more motion, then you can be strengthening your hands.
This is true if you have fractured a finger or dislocated a joint in your finger. Pain has a way of stopping you from truly getting all your motions back, but it doesn’t need to be aggressive to get great results.
Scarring:
Scarring can cause joints in your fingers to lose motion, stick skin to bones, and stop tendons from gliding as they should.
Most people think scarring is only from the scar that you see. But in the fingers, you can jam or crush it, and scarring can be created. In the fingers, since there is very little extra space, scarring can wrap around the whole finger and linger – no matter if you had surgery or not.
Swelling is created by your body to heal itself, but the thing that helped you can also be the thing that hurts you later. The swelling over time becomes scarring.
One thing that really helps with scarring is massaging. Massage the whole finger, not just one part. The other most important aspect of managing scars is actually movement. Moving in the right direction as well as frequency is the key to managing your scar.
Creams sound nice and easy but do not help with scars under the skin.
Imbalances:
This is the one aspect that is the hardest to fix and do on your own. But your understanding of imbalances is key to helping you know when to get help.
When a finger gets stuff from an injury or surgery, other muscles and fingers try to help out. Because it’s hard to stop using your hands! Especially the thumb which does 50% of the work of your hands. And the ring and small finger give you your grip strength. And let’s not forget your index and middle fingers which help you pick up small objects.
When you continue to have hand pain for weeks and months – it could be because certain muscles are too tight, and others are not gliding as they need to.
The key to getting rid of hand pain for good, is about figuring out – who’s not working, who’s working too hard, and where are you stuck?
So if you are continuing with hand pain due to an accident, don’t be so hard on yourself.
Accidents happen all day. Everyday.
I often hear how embarrassed my clients can be about how they got hurt, what they did after to self-treat, or even having gone somewhere else.
It’s okay, accidents happen. Now it’s just a matter of getting the best possible results for you so that you can move to pass this injury.
Hand injures are one of the most painful injures that we treat. But there are techniques that can ease your hand, and get you great results. It’s easier than you think! Request to Speak to Our Specialist Today.
Written by Hoang Tran
About the author – Hoang Tran – Miami certified hand therapist
Hoang Tran is a certified hand therapist, the owner of Hands-on Therapy Services and author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”. She loves helping people with hand, neck and shoulder problems, because she knows how bad and debilitating they can get if not addressed and treated properly (once and for all!).
The aim of her Miami occupational therapy is to bring patients back to full functionality, without pills, injections or surgery. Occupational and Physical Therapy are both offered at Hands-On Therapy by our experienced therapists who provide a comprehensive approach to your care.
If you are struggling with hand and wrist pain, including
or any other hand, elbow or neck injuries, speak with one of our specialists for FREE by signing up for a 30-minute Discovery Visit here! Talk to our specialist first before booking any paid session. We like to ensure that we can help you before taking you on as a client.
In these difficult times, we are here to help. Telehealth and online sessions are available!
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
