PTS

Arthritis of the Hand

If you have arthritis it is very important for you to look after your joints, to avoid sprains and further injury, through applying joint protection, and to maintain range of motion and strength though daily exercises.  Here are a few useful links: Arthritis New Zealand Arthritis Research UK – Looking after your joints Arthritis Research UK has a lot …

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Splinting Arthritis of the Hand

Splints can be useful to help relieve pain and restore function. Often soft splints are the more appropriate option as they are less restrictive, especially when the base of the thumb is affected. Sometimes it can also be useful to use a wrist brace for shorter periods of time. The Otto Bock range have some …

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Play Dough Recipe

Making your own exercise play-dough is a very cost effective option. Here is an easy recipe I have used for years. 1 Cup salt 2 Cups of flour 4 Teaspoon cream of tartar 2 Table spoons cooking oil 2 Cups of water Mix all ingredients in a pot. Add colouring if you want some colour …

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Finger Flexion Glove

Stiff fingers can be very tricky to treat. Here is a simple but effective splint for patients with general stiffness of all finger joints.  You want to block any flexion of joints what already has good flexion eg, if there are no issues with the MCP joints, you want to block the MCP joints to …

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Mallet Splints

There are many designs of Mallet splints to treat drop fingers, but this is my favourite. Patients like them, they are easy and cost effective to make, they stay in place and allow for fluctuating swelling, common after injury.  To make these splints you need: Scissors Thin thermoplastic – I used 1.6mm Turbocast, but Orfit, Colourfit, …

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Simple Buddy-Straps

There are a variety of buddy-straps on the market, and here is a simple, cost effective one to make yourself. I use 12mm wide (0.5″) standard velcro. You need: Skinny loop velcro – approx 15cm long (6″)  Skinny hook velcro – approx 13cm long (5″) Sewing machine Place the hook velcro on the top of the …

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Digi-Sleeves

For many hand patients, oedema can be an issue. Digis-sleeves is a great option to prevent or reduce swelling. And they are easy to make! We usually use Lycra fabric, which comes in a variety of colours. We mainly use the beige or black as it has been the easiest to get hold of and …

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Finger Gutter Splints

My favourite thermoplastic material to use for finger gutter splints is Polyform. I usually use the 3mm think (non-perforated) material and thin it slightly when it is warm. You can of course use other materials as well, but what I like about the Polyform is that it conforms so well and you get really nice …

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