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Study design Survey Study. Purpose To investigate recent practice changes with respect to the provision of virtual visits by hand therapists due to the COVID-19 pandemic by asking about changes in the frequency of virtual visits, the assessments and treatments currently provided virtually, and the opinions of therapists on the future on virtual visits in hand therapy practice. Methods The survey was distributed to the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT), the Australian Hand Therapy Association (AHTA), the Canadian Society of Hand Therapists (CSHT), and the European Federation for the Societies of Hand Therapy (EFSHT). Results Of the 819 responses, there were 573 therapists (70%) who reported that they currently use virtual visits in their practice. Only 38 therapists (4.6%) were providing virtual visits prior to COVID-19, representing a 15-fold increase in virtual visits since the beginning of the pandemic. Only 26% (n = 213) reported that they used patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in conjunction with their virtual visits. Approximately 78% (n = 638) said that they thought there is a sustainable future for this method of care in hand therapy practice. Discussion This survey has helped identify the changing landscape in the provision of rehabilitation and established some of the common assessments and interventions currently utilized by hand therapists in the virtual environment. Next, steps for research are to investigate the reliability and validity of some of the assessments and interventions used, to establish whether virtual care will provide good outcomes for patients, and ultimately understand the optimal combination of conventional therapy and virtual care.

Introduction Measuring finger forces during activities of daily living and how these forces change for individuals with pathologies such as arthritis is valuable to our understanding of hand function. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to determine the forces of individual fingers during the performance of daily activities in healthy participants and determine the envelope of these applied forces. Methods This is a cross-sectional study investigating twenty-five healthy participants (12 female: 22-65 years old and 13 male: 20-53 years old) and participants with osteoarthritis (12 female: 52-79 years old and 9 male: 64-79 years old) examined at one time point. The force sensors were calibrated for each individual using a load cell to provide force output in Newtons. Each participant performed 19 activities of daily living two times. Force was plotted over time for each task, and the maximum force in each finger during that task was evaluated. Results The range of applied forces was 1.4 ± 0.6 N to 34.8 ± 1.6 N for healthy participants and 2.3 ± 1.0 N to 30.7 ± 3.7 N for those with osteoarthritis. Discussion Sensors allowed for real-time monitoring of finger forces during tasks of daily life. This provides the opportunity to isolate hand grips based on finger recruitment and provide information about the magnitude of forces during the activity. Conclusion Measurement of individual finger forces can provide more accurate biomechanical models of the hand and determine the effect of disease on hand functions.

Introduction Productive outcomes for the hand therapy patient involve many components. Understanding whether therapists agree with the recommendations they receive, or find these informative, is a first step into understanding how shared decision-making on a treatment plan can be optimized. Purpose of the Study The purposes of this study include (1) the extent which therapists see variable presentations of primary surgical/management in some indicator exemplars where practices vary from accepted/evidence-based practice; (2) hand therapists' level of agreement with the interventions prescribed on referrals, (3) describe the undocumented complications observed by hand therapists, and (4) report the therapists' perceptions as to the reasons for these complications Methods A survey was designed and pilot tested. Multiple-choice questions and free text allowed further explanation. The survey was administered through an electronic mailing to all American Society of Hand Therapy members with available e-mail addresses. Raw survey data were extracted and processed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze therapists' demographic information. Frequencies of therapists' responses were calculated. Results Ninety percent of all who responded have been in practice 10 years or more. The mean of the “often and always” ordered interventions was 20%. The mean of therapist perceptions as to whether these ordered interventions are best practice was 14%. Sixty percent reported that they had found an undocumented condition, and 60% reported to have found a postoperative complication. Perceived reasons for complications included the lack of communication and therapy intervention. Discussion Hand therapists can play an important role in improving patient outcomes. Therapists can provide the health care team information regarding best practice. Additionally, the hand therapist may be who first identifies a postsurgical complication or an undocumented issue. Communication between the hand therapist and referral source is vital in optimizing patient outcomes. Conclusion Hand therapists can play an important role in improving overall outcomes for patients. The inter-professional working relationship between the referral source, hand therapist, and the patient is a complex phenomenon and communication between the hand therapist and referral source is vital.

Study Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Introduction Joint protection (JP) has been developed as a self-management intervention to assist people with hand arthritis to improve occupational performance and minimize joint deterioration over time. Purpose of the Study We examined the effectiveness between JP and usual care/control on pain, hand function, and grip strength levels for people with hand osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Methods A search was performed in 5 databases from January 1990 to February 2017. Two independent assessors applied Cochrane's risk of bias tool, and a Grading of Recommendations Assessement, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was adopted. Results For pain levels at short term, we found similar effects between JP and control standardized mean difference (SMD; −0.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.42 to 0.42, I2 = 49%), and at midterm and long-term follow-up, JP was favored over usual care SMD (−0.32, 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.11, I2 = 0) and SMD (−0.27, 95% CI: −0.41 to −0.12, I2 = 9%), respectively. For function levels at midterm and long-term follow-up, JP was favored over usual care SMD (−0.49, 95% CI: −0.75 to −0.22, I2 = 34%) and SMD (−0.31, 95% CI: −0.50 to −0.11, I2 = 56%), respectively. For grip strength levels, at long term, JP was inferior over usual care mean difference (0.93, 95% CI: −0.74 to 2.61, I2 = 0%). Conclusions Evidence of very low to low quality indicates that the effects of JP programs compared with usual care/control on pain and hand function are too small to be clinically important at short-, intermediate-, and long-term follow-ups for people with hand arthritis.

Study Design Descriptive research. Introduction/Purpose Survey research was performed to determine if there is a perceived difference in outcomes of patients referred to hand therapy from specialized hand surgeons vs nonspecialized physicians. Methods The survey was administered to members of the American Society of Hand Therapists through an electronic mailing. Results A total of 744 American Society of Hand Therapists members responded to the survey. Therapists reported a difference in recovery time between patients referred by a hand surgeon vs a nonspecialized physician. Sixty-seven percent (n = 490) of the respondents answered yes and 12% (n = 84) answered no. Discussion It is important to consider that not all hand patients receive treatment from a specialized hand surgeon and that a specialized hand therapist may be an integral team member for patients who have not received specialized care from their referral source. Conclusion Most hand therapists who responded to this survey believe that there is a difference in outcomes of patients referred to hand therapy from specialized hand surgeons vs nonspecialized physicians. Level of Evidence Level 3.

Study Design Prospective cohort study. Purpose of the Study To compare the inter-rater reliability of using a modified finger goniometer (MFG) for the measurement of isolated forearm rotation for patients with distal radius fractures to the currently accepted technique for isolated forearm measurement. Introduction The currently accepted method of forearm measurement requires the assessor to visually estimate vertical for the stationary arm and placement of the moveable arm while placing a straight edge along a curved surface. Inter-rater reliability may be limited as assessors may estimate the placement of the goniometer arms differently depending on their experience, posture, and even their positioning relative to the patient. Rather than continue to place a straight edge on a round surface, we evaluate a new technique using an MFG for measuring isolated forearm rotation. Methods Patients with clinically healed distal radius fractures were enrolled in the study. Measurement of active forearm pronation and supination was recorded using 2 separate measurement techniques. These measurements were taken by 2 separate hand therapists with more than 10 years of clinical experience in a tertiary care setting at the beginning and end of hand therapy sessions for 3 consecutive weekly visits. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable change were calculated for each technique. Results The point estimates for the MFG method demonstrated a slightly higher ICC than the standard method for pronation (0.86 vs 0.82). For supination, both measurement techniques displayed equally high pooled ICCs (0.95). The standard error of measurements for the MFG were 2.1 for pronation and 1.2 for supination compared with 2.9 (pronation) and 1.2 (supination) for the standard technique. These translate into 90% minimal detectable changes of 5° and 3° for the MFG pronation/supination compared with 7° (pronation) and 3° (supination) for the standard technique, respectively. Discussion Although the point estimates for the ICCs of the MFG method are equal or higher than the standard method, the confidence intervals for the ICCs overlap, indicating that the MFG is at least equivalent to the standard method in terms of inter-rater reliability. Level of evidence 2b.

Although hand therapists often evaluate patients with wrist pain, novice and experienced clinicians alike would benefit from a systematic assessment to efficiently identify the source of dysfunction and initiate an appropriate treatment plan. This article proposes a systematic approach for clinical evaluation of the wrist by describing the basic clinical examination (BCE) process and interpreting the findings in terms of common pathology. The BCE will enable the hand therapist to identify conditions that are contraindicated for conservative care and require further physician intervention, determine a working diagnosis for most musculoskeletal problems, and determine the appropriate extra tests to confirm the working diagnosis and/or rule out differential diagnoses. By combining findings from the patient's history, BCE, and special testing, hand therapists can efficiently determine the underlying pathology and provide appropriate treatment that can optimize clinical outcomes.

Study design Prospective cohort study. Introduction Grip strength, pinch strength, and sensory threshold are common evaluations used on a daily basis. Identifying how these variables relate to function for patients allows these assessments to be used for screening to identify who may benefit from surgical intervention, and provides valuable information about what impairments patients think are important with respect to functional use of their upper extremity. Therapists can use this information to focus rehabilitation programs on the most important impairments. Purpose To evaluate the relationship between the Patient-rated Ulnar Nerve Evaluation (PRUNE) and impairment measures of grip strength, pinch strength, and one-point sensory threshold. Methods Data was prospectively collected from 77 patients before surgery and during regular time points for 2 years following surgery. Patients completed the PRUNE, grip and pinch strength measures, and a one-point sensory threshold evaluation. Correlations between these variables were calculated at baseline, 2 years after surgery, and for change scores during the 2-year follow up. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of the impairment variables for determining functional change. Results Grip strength showed moderate, statistically significant correlation with PRUNE scores at both baseline (r = −0.38) and at two years (r = −0.29). There was also a statistically significant correlation between one point sensory threshold for the small finger at two years (r = 0.36), but not at baseline. Change in grip strength (r = −0.28) and pinch strength (r = −0.30) both demonstrated significant correlations with PRUNE change scores. Overall, changes in grip strength, pinch strength, and sensation accounted for 20% of the variance in PRUNE changes. Conclusion Since grip strength was most highly correlated with PRUNE scores at baseline and at two years, rehabilitation programs that target grip strengthening is supported. While neither grip nor pinch strength were significant contributors to the regression when used together, each showed significant contributions to PRUNE variability when used in the model independently. Therefore, a combination of grip and pinch strengthening may be important during rehabilitation for improving functional results in patients that undergo surgical intervention for cubital tunnel syndrome. Level of evidence 2b

When a fracture of the finger is intraarticular in nature, it adds another dimension to the rehabilitation program, as the joint space is affected and subsequently gaining motion can be a challenge. Traction splinting has been reported in the literature as one way to manage intraarticular finger fractures in an attempt to provide stability while allowing motion. These authors have modified some of the original traction splints to create a hand-based version to use for the patients with an intraarticular, proximal interphalangeal joint fracture.—V ictoria P riganc , PhD, OTR, CHT, CLT, Practice Forum Editor

The surgical and therapeutic management for total elbow arthroplasty is reviewed. Surgical overview and techniques, stability issues, factors affecting therapy, and a proposed postoperative treatment plan are presented. Specific therapy management following total elbow replacement has not been published before in a peer-reviewed journal. Further study is needed to obtain patient outcome data following the proposed therapy plan.

The authors have found that for best results, a wearing time of 1 hour 3 to 4 times a day is desired. Similar to many splints designed to increase range of motion, there is some functional loss during wearing time. Application of the splint should be scheduled appropriately around functional activities. Based on clinical experience, the authors have found this splint is easy to fabricate, cost-effective, and relatively comfortable.