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Hand Surgery/Therapy
What do an athlete, a concert pianist, a skilled artist, a gifted writer and you and I have in common? We all rely heavily on our hands. So when injuries or problems such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome strike our hands, many of the tasks we take for granted in our everyday lives become more difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish.
When patients with hand injuries or problems come to MeritCare's Orthopedics or Sports Medicine departments, we refer them to our resident orthopedic hand surgeon and his hand therapy team for treatment.
Hand Surgery
As with many other orthopedic problems, surgery is often the first step in treating an orthopedic problem in the hands. But surgeries of the hands and upper extremities require a special set of skills—the skills of a certified orthopedic and hand surgeon.
The Hand Therapy Team
Hand therapists can evaluate and treat any problem from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers. Hand therapy often starts within days of the injury or surgery and may continue until the patient returns to work and/or the injury is completely healed.
Services
Most patients who receive hand therapy are post-surgical, but that's not always the case. The Hand Therapy Department provides treatment to adults and children in several areas, including:
- Wound management
- Edema control
- Range of motion
- Scar management
- Pain control
- Sensory re-education
- Strengthening
- Coordination
- Splint fabrication
- Work hardening
- Job-site analysis
- Key Functional Capacity evaluation
Conditions Treated
- Arthritis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Dupuytren's contracture
- Overuse problems/tendonitis
- Burns
- Traumatic injuries and sports injuries involving nerves, Bursitis and Tendon Injury
- All upper extremity dysfunctions
How to Reach Us
The Hand Therapy Department maintains an office at MeritCare Southpointe in South Fargo. Because early treatment plays a key role in recovery from acute hand injuries, we keep early morning time slots open for patients with acute injuries.
For more information about the MeritCare Hand Therapy Department or to make an appointment, call (701) 234-8730.