13 Sep 2019

Autumn 2019 - Upper limb

This edition of In Touch explores the area of upper limb conditions from the hand, to the elbow and through to a various shoulder issues that patients may present with. In addition, technology is being put to good use in the rehabilitation of upper limb function for people who have suffered a stroke.

Content

The kinetic chain approach to shoulder evaluation in athletes

Shoulder injuries are a common feature in sport and they ahve reported high recurrence rates which can lead to extended periods of absence from training and competition. This article, based on the Athletic Shoulder course discusses the methods of assessment and functional rehabilitation that can be applied in the clinical setting

Ian Horsley

 

Rehabilitation of the sporting elbow

Elbow injuries in sport are common. They can be caused by large forces encountered duirng activities, or by direct trauma. Rehabilitation needs to follow a phased approach in order to ensure healing tissues are protected and the aim is to restore full motion with strength and neuromuscular control

Val Jones

 

The role of physiotherapy in non-traumatic hand and wrist conditions

This article aims to provide a summary of the evidence base for non-operative treatments for several of the common non-traumatic hand and wrist conditions encountered in a clinical setting, as well as to explain how physiotherapy can augment surgical treatment to maximise patient outcomes

Edward Jeans, Mike Hayton

 

Shoulder injuries and injury prevention in rugby union

Shoulder injuries are a significant problem at all playing levels irrespective of the injury definition. Acromioclavicular joint sprain. shoulder instability and dislocation are the most commonly seen injuries, resulting in the greatest number of days' absence. Neuromuscular training programmes are efficacious in preventing the risk of injury, yet this form of rehabilitation suffers from poor compliance

Vincent Singh

 

Keeping in touch with technology: the potential of robotic therapy for upper limb rehabilitation following stroke

The rapid pace of technological development has an ever-increasing influence on society and, in recent years healthcare policy in the United Kingdom has placed an emphasis on individualised care and the impact of technology on long-term conditions. Robotic therapy should be understood in context of not being a replacement for physiotherapy, but as an efficient adjunct to rehabilitation

Andrew Stephenson, John Stephens