29 Jul Cyclists in good hands
Returning to cycling after a hand injury
With thousands of cyclists on our major roads every weekend, Hand Therapists are on hand to help when there is an accident.
Hand therapy practitioners and their ability to improve the lives of people with finger, hand and upper limb injuries were in the spotlight during Hand Therapy Week. This years campaign aimed to raise awareness of hand therapy practitioners and their role in restoring hand function following a sports injury.
Accredited Hand Therapist Jessica Cauchi, is a qualified occupational therapist with expertise in assessing, diagnosing, and treating all sorts of simple and complex injuries. There are 500 Accredited Hand Therapist across Australia who have undergone several years of post-graduate education and training to assess, diagnose and restore hands to optimal function.
Jessica sees many sports injuries every week. Michael, a 45-year-old male and keen cyclist, presented to the Emergency Department after falling off his bike at 30 km/h. He landed on his right side, resulting in an injury to his left hand.
Hand therapy is a key part of your recovery following hand surgery. Early post-op rehabilitation may include: assessment and dressing of surgical wounds; removal of post-surgical sutures (stitches); and wound care and wound management.
Michael’s story
Michael had a joint dislocation and a fracture of the thumb. He underwent surgery to stabilise the thumb. He was referred to Melbourne Hand Rehab for fabrication of a splint and rehabilitation.
Michael attended an appointment with Accredited Hand Therapist Jess Cauchi at the Caroline Springs clinic. Michael’s main concerns at the time were the excessive swelling in his thumb and whether he would be able to return to road cycling.
Jess explained to Michael the nature of his injury, anatomy, treatment protocols and therapy pathway. Wound and swelling management were commenced and when appropriate Michael was provided with a home exercise program that focused on regaining the appropriate joint range required to return to cycling, and to his work that required using a computer mouse and keyboard.
Following removal of the k-wires that stabilised the injured thumb, Michael continued to see Jess for prescribed strengthening exercises.
Hand therapists use splints and braces to support an injured area after an accident, illness or operation.
Return to cycling after a hand injury
The final stages of Michael’s rehabilitation included a graded return to cycling. First on a stationary bike, then with trips around his neighbourhood and eventually longer rides.
“I cannot recommend Melbourne Hand Rehab, particularly Jess, highly enough. After a serious hand injury from a cycling accident, I was a little nervous about the recovery process. From the moment I stepped into the clinic, Jess made me feel at ease.
Jess took the time to thoroughly explain my injury and the treatment plan ahead. Her knowledge was impressive, and it was clear that she is truly passionate about her work. Her dedication to understanding my injury and tailoring the treatment to my specific needs gave me confidence that I was in capable hands (no pun intended).
Throughout my sessions, I felt that I could trust Jess in doing what was right for the recovery. She was invested in my recovery journey and worked tirelessly to get me back on the bike safely. I’m back on the bike and doing what I love,” said Michael.
CEO of the Australian Hand Therapy Association, Wendy Rowland said “it is important to consult a hand therapy practitioner as soon as an injury occurs. A hand therapy practitioner is a qualified physiotherapist or occupational therapist with expertise in the finger, hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder”.
If you are experiencing finger, hand, wrist or shoulder pain, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to help you.
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