It’s February... month of Valentine’s Day, and the promise of spring! Our days are getting longer and the crocuses are pushing through to start the slow unveiling of green and growth. Let’s find ways to get outside and breathe the fresh air!
NEWSLETTER
Keep Your Hands Healthy In Colder Weather Look Inside For
ColdWeather Hand Tips You Can’t Ignore
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NEWSLETTER
A Fresh Look... It’sFebruary...monthofValentine’sDay,andthepromiseofspring! Our days are getting longer and the crocuses are pushing through to start the slow unveiling of green and growth. Let’s find ways to get outside and breathe the fresh air! Wehavehadsomuchfunthispastyearseeingmanyreturnclients! We love seeing people again that we have met before.... even though it sometimes means they’ve had a new injury or further developments in an old problem. Sometimes a fresh look can help you make adjustments to keep your hands, arms, and shoulders healthy and strong. I am grateful to each of our clients and to our staff for being part of our community. It’s a pleasure to serve you. By: JoAnn Keller, OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Injuries Take Time (LOTS OF TIME) To Heal
By: JoAnn Keller, OTD, OTR/L, CHT
If there is one thing that I tell clients every single day, it’s this: after a significant injury, it takes 12-18 MONTHS to complete the healing process. Significant injuries can include
The bulk of the “basic” healing is completed within weeks or months, and you may achieve 80%recovery in that timeframe,but the tissues will continue to change and improve after the initial 3-4 months of healing. While patience is required during this time, don’t completely ignore an injury and expect it to disappear. If you “jam” a finger or develop a tendonitisorpain inyourshoulderorarm,make sure to have the problem evaluated to know what to expect, and what you can do to help. There are many problems that can be solved or improved quickly and some that won’t heal or may worsen without specific attention or care.Someproblemsarenotsolvedbyapplying ONLY patience!
“small” things like a jammed finger, tendonitis suchas tenniselbowor rotatorcuff tendonitis, or the dramatic ones like a broken wrist or cut tendon or anything requiring surgery. Healing happens at different rates in different tissues.Usuallyskin,muscle,andbloodvessels will heal the most quickly - within three weeks. Bones take longer, usually six to eight weeks. Connectivesoft tissueswith lessbloodsupply,
such as tendons and ligaments, take twelve to sixteen weeks and longer. A “jammed finger” is often a sprain - an injury to ligaments or tendons,which iswhytheycantakemorethana year to return tonormal,or to thebestpossible achievable outcome.
Is the Cold Weather
Cracking Down on Your Hands?
Find Relief with Hand Therapy
Using milder soaps. Some soaps can be harsh on the skin and can strip away the necessarymoisture for keeping them soft and comfortable. Instead of your normal bar-soap, you could try using a bath or shower gel to wash your hands with, as they are richer in moisture and will keep your hands hydrated. Staying hydrated. This is something that most people don’t think about during the winter months. In the summer, it makes sense – you’re hot, you’re sweaty, and a cool glass of water is just whatyou need to quenchyour thirst. In the winter, however, we tend to drink significantly less water. Cozying up with a mug of tea or hot cocoa sounds much more pleasant than downing some ice water. Nevertheless, drinking water throughout the day is still important in keeping your body hydrated and counteracting the drying effects.
Winter has been the nemesis of many hands for years. The cold weather can cause flare-ups of pain, in addition to dry, cracked skin. It can become frustrating, as going outside starts to feel like a chore – and an uncomfortable one, at that. Fortunately, our hand therapy services at Hands for Living can provide relief for any aches and painsyour handsmaybe feeling this holiday season. The weather outside may be frightful, but that shouldn’t stop your hands from still feeling delightful! How can I keep my hands safe? There are some preventative measures you can take in order to avoid pain or discomfort, such as: Wearing mittens. Choosingmittens over gloves will help keep your hands warmby allowingyour fingers to gain bodyheat off of each other. Gloves separate the fingers, which can decrease the effectiveness of their warmth. Mittens with liners on the
inside are even better for keeping in heat.
Keeping your hands active. Physical activity can be difficult in the winter time, as the days become shorter and the air becomes chillier. However, even a little bit of movement can help blood flow in your hands, which can alleviate pain. The best part –you don’t have to go outside! Simple exercises, such as getting up and taking a walk around the house, squeezing a stress ball, or rubbing your hands together will initiate blood flow and help your hands feel a bit better. Using lotions and creams. Lotions and creams will help in keeping your skin moist, which will prevent cracking and pain. The joints, muscles, and ligaments ofyour hands are allveryclose to the skin, so it is important to make sure your skin stays hydrated! Medicated creams can also be used to help with the alleviation of pain, and they are safe to use up to four times a day, even if you are taking other medications.
Patient Spotlight “I couldn’t have asked for a better therapist.” “My therapist was very skilled and knowledgeable in what she does. She always pushed me in my exercises to do even better. When I started therapy, I really didn’t know how much it would help. After starting with JoAnn, every week I was excited to come back and show her my improvements. I couldn’t have asked for a better therapist. Thank you!” - MacKenzie R.
Hand Exercise Helps With Weakness and Pain
Hold a ball of putty in the palm of your hand. Squeeze the putty. Reshape the putty into a ball. Repeat. Hand Exercise www.simpleset.net
WELLNESS TIPS FOR NEWYEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Do you use the new year as an annual health seminar with yourself? Here’s a list of 10 simple wellness tips. Hopefully, thesewillmakepickinganeasily-attainable goal less daunting and enjoyable. Cheers to a healthy and happy new year. 1. Drink half your 2. Start the morning with a hydrating, warm drink
I choose warmwater and lemon because I like the taste. I’ve also seen apple cider vinegar concoctions that rehydrate and influence the body’s alkaline state, which has been noted for added health benefits. Drink these before coffee and breakfast for instant energy, likely from the rehydration process. 3. Be active daily Aim for 30minutes of activitydaily. Break it up throughout the day: 10 minutes before work, 10 minutes afterwards and 10 minutes home with the kids. If a long-term resolution seems daunting, aim for new measurable goals monthly. Think short-term and create a new goal everymonth. For instance, come up with
body weight in water When the body is dehydrated, it doesn’t run efficiently. Drinking water has plenty of benefits including increasing energy, flushing out toxins, improving skin complexion and boosting immunity, to name a few.
an idea like drink homemade juices or smoothies five days a week or don’t eat packaged snacks for a month. It doesn’t seem like such a life overhaul ifyou add or eliminate a certain food for just 30 days. Plus, if you get in the rhythm of it, you might continue. Or if not, you know you will start a new goal the next month. Good luck. Happy New Year and always remember to check with your doctor or hand therapist when making changes to your lifestyle.
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