Instructional Concurrent Session VI
Building Resilience in Patients with Overuse Injuries
Description:
Overuse injuries present many challenges to the typical hand therapist’s caseload. High-risk occupations not only create overuse injuries, but also perpetuate the cycle of pain and damage. For the patient, this diagnosis is chronically painful, slow to change, and resistant to improvement. The process of healing can be discouraging to both patient and therapist as it takes a longer time than is expected. Helping patients stay mentally strong is critical to returning to health after an overuse injury.
This entry level session will review the science of the healing process, encourage resilience in both therapist and patient, and offer practical strategies to support behavioral change to stop re-injury and help progress towards pain-free activity.
Objective(s):
Discuss the label "high-risk occupations" in the context of overuse injury.
Describe the importance of behavioral change in the context of improving posture.
Identify the concept of resilience and apply it to recovering from an overuse injury.
Speaker(s):
I have a research question. . . what next? Collaborating in hand therapy research
Description:
Hand therapists working in clinical practice are well positioned to identify clinically impactful research questions. In this session, members of the ASHT Research Division will focus on empowering hand therapy clinicians to fully execute their research questions. Course faculty will cover key strategies for developing research ideas into feasible research projects. This course will begin with an overview of developing a PICO question, literature review procedures for evaluating the current state of the evidence related to a research topic of interest, and resources available for conducting a literature search. Then course faculty will highlight research study designs which are most feasible in a clinic setting and outline the steps in drafting a basic research proposal. Finally, course faculty will discuss how clinicians can access resources to successfully conduct research projects. The course will include fifteen minutes of roundtable discussion focused on problem solving course attendees’ challenges and questions with participating in hand therapy research.
Objective(s):
Participants will describe how to develop a PICO question, approach a literature review, and assess the evidence related to a research question.
Participants will be able to describe study designs most feasible clinicians to conduct and outline the steps of a basic research proposal.
Participants will name resources available for supporting clinicians in participating in hand therapy research.
StrongerTogether!: Surgical, Conservative and Therapeutic Management of PIP Joint Dislocations and Fracture Dislocations.
Description:
This proposed session is a collaborative surgeon-therapist instructional course designed to demonstrate treatment algorithms and options for both the surgeon and therapist when addressing these common yet potentially debilitating hand injuries. Treatment management will include orthosis options, positioning and fabrication techniqies, surgical options incluing external fixation, ORIF and Hemi-Hamate joint reconstruction. Post operative management and clinical methods to facilitate patient recovery will be addressed.
Objective(s):
Describe structures involved in PIP dislocation dependent on direction.
Discuss conservative treatment options incuding orthosis selection, protected motion and necessary precuations.
Desribe indications and rationale for surgical procedures to address PIP complex dislocations / fracture dislocations
Speaker(s):
Therapeutic Use of Pilates for Chronic Upper Extremity Repetitive Stress Conditions
Description:
Chronic repetitive stress injuries of the upper extremity can significantly limit overall functioning and quality of life. For individuals with conditions such as rotator cuff tendonitis, lateral or medial epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome. and deQuervain's tenosynovitis, overuse of the upper extremities is often secondary to poor trunk control and weak core musculature. Decreased postural control, decreased core strength, and lack of ergonomic awareness
Objective(s):
Understand the relationship between postural control, core strength, and repetitive stress/strain injuries in upper extremities.
Understand how Pilates can be used therapeutically to increase core strength, improve postural alignment and decrease stress placed on upper extremities.
Understand how to develop and implement a therapeutic Pilates rehabilitation program in an adult specific setting.
Speaker(s):
Virtual Reality in Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: A unique treatment intervention for your tool box.
Description:
Virtual reality has been used to manage pain, fear, depression, and anxiety. Recent studies show growing clinical evidence that virtual reality reduces acute pain during hand therapy making it an excellent tool to improve the patient’s comfort level during their rehabilitation journey. There are reported benefits from exercise using VR that enables the patient to use the upper extremity for more functional skills to improve outcomes. During this session, participants will be introduced to the psychological and physical benefits of virtual reality. Headsets will be available to allow the participants the opportunity to explore the world of virtual reality and the therapeutic effects.
Objective(s):
Participants will identify three diagnoses that are appropriate for treatment using virtual reality.
Participants will identify three exercises developed to foster repetitive movement of the upper extremity to improve task performance.
Participants will be able describe three principles of the neuroscience behind virtual reality.