JOI Rehab Therapy

By Jared Ernest, Physical Therapist

JOI Rehab Therapy

These articles in the JOI Rehab Stretch magazine are for the education of the general public related to physical therapy and orthopedic conditions.

Mallet Finger

Mallet finger refers to a condition in which the end joint of a finger bends but will not straighten by itself. In this situation, the joint is only straight with an external force.  The joint will not hold that position on its own. This condition is also known as baseball finger. It most often occurs when a ball or other object strikes the tip of a straight finger. It can also occur from jamming the finger into an object. When this occurs, the tendon which pulls on the end bone to straighten the finger (extensor tendon) pulls it away.  The force on the end of the fingertip pulls the other way, and something comes apart in-between. There is also some swelling, pain, redness, and/or bruising in addition to the drooping of the fingertip.

It’s Not Just A Jammed Finger

Many people just ignore this injury and shrug it off to a jammed finger and believe that it will get better when the swelling subsides. However, this is a myth which often leads to permanent deformity and discomfort. Without proper treatment, the appearance and ability to straighten the end joint of the finger will not improve.

The first step in treating a mallet finger is to apply ice to the finger immediately after injury. Continue to ice for about 15 minutes every two hours for the first few days. The hand with the injured finger should also be elevated above the heart to minimize swelling. It is important to get  X-rays and medical advice within a week of injuring the finger.  This will determine whether the finger has a fracture or is out of alignment. In certain instances, this injury needs surgery to reattach the bone or to realign the joint.

Most mallet fingers treatment involves simply splinting the fingertip in extension and leaving it in this position for 6-8 weeks. This is so the extensor tendon can fully heal back to the bone.  But this can only occur with continuous splint wear. You can remove the splint for hygiene purposes daily.  but during this time the fingertip must be supported in full extension to protect the healing tendon. Hand therapy is indicated in some situations where the finger becomes stiff after the tendon has healed.

Why is Physical Therapy Important to Your Recovery 

Article By: Jared Ernest

You have just seen your orthopaedic specialist for your physical problem and the doctor has prescribed physical therapy as part of your treatment plan. The first thing you should do is call to schedule an appointment for a physical therapy evaluation as soon as possible. The reasons to start physical therapy are three fold:

1. The quicker your physical injury is addressed and treatment started, the faster your recovery should progress. Just like with your automobile you wouldn’t delay seeing a mechanic for an engine problem and the chance of it getting worse.
2. Your doctor has placed a high priority that physical therapy will help with your problem.
3. Your doctor has a high expectation that the course of physical therapy prescribed will be completed upon your follow up appointment. This will help make decisions on your further care.

What to Expect of Your First Physical Therapy Visit?

Your first visit will range in time, but plan for about an hour for your evaluation with a licensed physical or occupational therapist. Remember to wear or bring clothes that will permit the therapist to visually see the involved area. The first step will be a short discussion of your injury from the first day to the present. Your verbal account is a huge plus to be able to formulate what may be your problem. Most injuries or pathologies follow a certain pattern or response and the ability of the patient and the clinician to communicate this is a great help to the physical part of the evaluation.

Next, your clinician will perform the physical part of your evaluation. This will consist of visual observation, movement of the affected area, testing
your strength, stability, etc. This is done to zero in on what your active problem is and how together we are going to facilitate your recovery. After your evaluation, a discussion between yourself and the clinician will answer your questions as to what is wrong and the type of treatment that will take care of your problem. An explanation on what to expect and the probable timeframe of recovery will also be discussed. Think of it as a team effort between you, your doctor, and your therapist to reach your rehab goals.

Physical Therapy Treatment 

Every treatment plan is tailored to the individual patient to include instruction on exercises and activities to be done at home. Remember, each session builds on itself with advancement of your treatment program. That is why it is of great importance to attend physical therapy for the duration of your prescription.

One last word, most physical problems don’t get better on their own. Delaying your therapy or choosing not to attend, only adds time to your normal recovery. The most common reasons that people begin physical therapy at JOI Rehabilitation are:

1. Multiple sites to cover a large geographic area close to your home or work for your convenience.
2. Hours Monday-Saturday, with both early morning and late evening hours available.
3. The experience of staff of orthopaedic therapists that commonly treat your problem.
4. Close communications and access to your referring doctor

Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)

Adhesive Capsulitis is a painful restriction of active and passive movement of the shoulder. Adhesions form in the capsule and limit overall joint space. There is a higher incidence in females between the ages 40-60 years old. The onset of idiopathic frozen shoulder is associated with extended immobilization, mild trauma and surgical trauma (breast or chest wall procedures). Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory arthritis and ischemic heart disease are medical conditions associated with adhesive capsulitis. The most significant association is with insulin dependent diabetes. There is a 10% chance of adhesive capsulitis affecting both arms. Adhesive capsulitis is characterized by three stages.

3 Stages of A Frozen Shoulder 

The first stage is the freezing phase. This stage typically lasts 3-6 months. An onset of aching pain in the shoulder begins, with pain being more severe at night and with activities. Pain at rest is common during this stage. The pain often radiates down the outside of the arm. Holding your arm close to your body is the most comfortable position although it worsens the freezing process.

The second stage is the frozen phase. This phase can last 3-18 months. Activities of daily living such as reaching in your back pocket, fastening your bra, grooming your hair and washing the opposite shoulder become severely restricted and painful. Sharp pain will accompany these movements. Pain at rest usually diminishes during this stage.

The final stage is the thawing phase. This stage involves a slow recovery of motion. This stage can last 3-6 months. Adhesive capsulitis is thought to be a “self limiting” process which can be disabling for months to years. Aggressive treatment is necessary once the diagnosis is made. Physical therapy helps regain shoulder motion, decrease pain and inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections and other modalities are a part of the treatment plan.  The focus for regaining shoulder motion is stretching at range of motion limits. Stretching exercises should be done three to five times per day with a sustained stretch of 15-30 seconds at the end range of motion. Finally, strengthening begins when the shoulder motion and pain are returning to normal.

Manual Therapy in Orthopaedic Rehabilitation

Article By: Ehren Allen, P.T., C.O.M.T.

When most people think of physical therapy, they think of stretching and strengthening exercises, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, etc. Physical Therapy may also include manual treatment to augment a patient’s care. Manual therapy is any treatment that requires the practitioner to use their hands on the involved area of the body to aide or accelerate the healing process. Studies indicate that the addition of manual therapy to a therapeutic exercise program is good. It significantly increases the recovery rate of patients in comparison to patients strictly in treatment with therapeutic exercise. The type of manual therapy in the rehabilitation of orthopaedic and sport injuries may include any of the following:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization – to break up scar tissue and increase muscle, tendon or ligament pliability
• Massage – to decrease pain and swelling.
• Manual Traction – to separate the joint surfaces and decrease pain and swelling
• Manual Stretching – to increase the length of muscles and tendons
• Joint Mobilization/Manipulation – to decrease pain in irritated joints and increase the mobility of stiff joints

For injuries that require more specialized manual treatment, JOI offers therapists with post-professional certification in Orthopeadic Manual Therapy. Certification requires approximately two years of training followed by a comprehensive examination. Manual therapy is an important part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Therefore, ask your therapist how manual therapy can help you.

Injuries Related to Instrumental Musicians

Professional musicians require the extremes of coordination and endurance… much like professional athletes. Musicians need to practice for hours and hours a day for peak performances. Many of these performances are outdoors and not in the best environment (think cold Christmas concerts or air conditioned music halls). Musicians are at risk for developing overuse injuries, nerve entrapment syndromes and ganglion cysts.

Overuse Injuries in Musicians

An overuse injury is a condition when too much stress on any body tissue.  This physical stress places demands beyond it’s physiologic limits. It may be acute (after a specific event) or chronic ( the onset of symptoms gets worse over time). Musician’s overuse injuries are classified in five levels. Grade 1 means pain at one body site only while playing an instrument; The Grade 2 means pain at multiple body sites; Grade 3 means pain that persists long after musician stops playing. With Grade 4 the musician experiences pain during specific activities of daily living (such as opening jars or brushing teeth). Finally, with Grade 5 all activities of daily living cause pain if using the involved upper limb.

Common Injuries in Musicians

Common diagnoses of overuse injuries include: trigger finger or trigger thumb, tendonitis, bursitis, DeQuervain’s tendonitis. Musicians experiencing the above symptoms should seek medical advice from their physician. A referral to a Certified Hand Therapist or an Occupational Therapist is often beneficial.

This professional can apply modalities to decrease inflammation and for pain relief. Complete recovery is quicker if addressed while the patient is in Grade 1 to 3. Pain avoidance or rest is the most important phase. Splinting allows the muscles and tendons to rest. The patient can remove the splint for stretching exercises to avoid stiffness. Biofeedback while playing the instrument is often helpful to assess areas of over activity. Also, video feedback assists with posture and technique awareness.

Entrapment Syndromes

In my experience, musicians are also at risk for developing nerve entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, digital nerve compression, thoracic outlet syndrome and Temporo-mandibular Joint disorder (TMJ). A nerve conduction velocity and/or an eletro-myelogram test will determine the site where the nerve pinching or if there are multiple sites of compression of the nerve ( “double crush”). Again, I believe treatment may involve splinting to avoid positions of compression. Biofeedback can also assess playing techniques, video feedback and medications. Musicians are at risk for developing ganglion cysts on the back (dorsum) of the wrist. This is due to extreme amount of wrist flexion for certain instruments.  An orthopedic physicians can evaluate and treat these cysts.

Risk Factors for Musicians

The professional musician should be aware of the risk factors for developing the above problems. Risk factors include: training errors, a change in instrument, change in teacher or style, quality of instrument, inadequate rehabilitation of prior injuries, improper body mechanics, non-musical activities (especially excessive computer use), environmental factors and anatomic variations in individuals. If a musician is experiencing any of the above problems, he or she should evaluate if any of the risk factors has occurred. Professional musicians train and perform much like professional athletes. Their bodies need to perform extreme feats of coordination and endurance. If they are experiencing a nagging pain, it should not be ignored.  In conclusion, musicians should be aware of all of these risk factors in their hands and fingers.

We also now offer Direct Access to Physical Therapy, to learn more about this service from JOI watch our video below!

JOI Rehab Stretch

We hope that these articles in our JOI Rehab Stretch have been helpful.  We have hundreds of articles on our website with a google search engine on the top of our home page.  Our goal is to keep you informed about your condition and keep you moving.

Book an Appointment with The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute Today!

JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.

You can still call 904-JOI-2000 to make new patient JOI Physician Appointments if that is your preference.

To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.