Hand Specialty Center

Each of our certified hand therapists has an average of 16 years of experience in the field. Many have also completed advanced training and national certification in rehabilitating patients with hand and wrist problems. The therapy location within the Hand Specialty Center allows therapists to see patients simultaneously to their appointment. They strive to begin treatment within days of injury or surgery to help reach optimal hand and wrist function.

With a patient-to-therapist ratio of one-to-one, our treatment plans are tailored to the patient’s needs. Our goal is to help patients heal with the minimum number of treatment sessions, and provide patients with a home exercise plan at their first visit.

We offer a variety of evaluation and treatment methods including:

• Evaluation with the Greenleaf computerized evaluation system
• Desensitization or sensory re-education following a nerve injury or trauma
• Fabrication of splints to protect repaired structures or substitute for lost function
• Ergonomic education including recommendations for work station modification and alternative work methods.

Hand Therapy is also offered in the Life Dynamics Building on the campus of AdventHealth Shawnee Mission.

Work Comp Experts

The Hand Specialty Center’s team of Board-certified physicians have been treating work-related injuries for more than 20 years. They share their medical expertise with a team of certified hand therapists. The physicians objectively assess work injuries, address causation and provide caring and appropriate treatment. The Hand Specialty Center has a dedicated team of expert staff to facilitate written and verbal communication to the injured worker, employer and insurance entity. We provide:

• Conservative, non-surgical treatments when medically-indicated
• Prompt and complete communication
• Causation opinion with initial evaluation
• Same-day work status following every physician visit
• Dictation to adjusters, employers and case managers with every physician visit within 48 - 72 hours
• Evaluation and MMI report upon completion of treatment
• Rating upon request

Benefits of Our Integrative Team Approach

• Reduces mistakes and miscommunication
• Increases efficiency
• Avoids duplicate visits
• Therapists are intimately familiar with surgeon protocols
• Continuous communication between surgeon and therapist
• Rapid return to work, light duty when medically appropriate
• Reduces infection potential
• Reduces unnecessary charges
• Enhances patient satisfaction

The hand, finger and wrist are vulnerable to injury at any stage of life. These injuries may occur due to anything from a fall to something as simple as overuse. While the cause, symptoms and severity of the injury can vary, common hand, finger and wrist injuries often occur during sports activities (usually these are contact or weight-bearing sports) accidental falls, work-related tasks and work around the home (especially if you are using machinery).

Often times, minor hand, finger and wrist injuries will heal on their own. More severe injuries, however, will need to be evaluated. This is particularly the case with children. If your child injures a hand, finger or wrist, especially near a joint, an evaluation is necessary as this injury could involve the growth plate.

What Causes Acute Injuries?

When the pain onset is sudden or the pain is severe, an acute hand, finger and wrist injury may have occurred. Acute injuries are often the result of direct blows, injuries, falls, abnormal twisting, or jamming or bending of the limb. The most common acute injuries will be bruising that extends from the injury site to the fingers, ligament or tendon trauma, sprains, strains, fractures, finger or wrist dislocation and a crushing injury, which could lead to compartment syndrome.

How Do Overuse Injuries Occur?

When too much stress is placed on a joint or a tissue, an overuse hand, finger and joint injury can occur. This often happens with repetitive activities or heavy resistance activities which cause strain and inflammation in moving tissues. The following are common overuse injuries.

• Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome often include a radiating pain, numbness weakness or pain in the fingers and hand.
• Tendonitis is a condition that can include pain and tenderness in the tendon area. Another common symptom of tendonitis is decreased strength and loss of motion.
• De Quervain’s disease is a painful condition that affects the tendons of the thumb. Symptoms often include pain, inflammation and difficulty gripping objects with the hand.

How are Hand, Finger and Wrist Injuries Treated?

The treatment of a hand, finger and wrist injury depends on the location and severity of the injury, how long the injury has been present, and your current health, along with the type of activities you are participating in.

The physicians at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Hand Center can evaluate and treat mild to severe upper extremity injuries from the fingers to the shoulder.

Treating hand, finger and wrist injuries often involves first aid measures, including over-the-counter medication, rest, ice and elevation. If symptoms persist or if the injury is severe, immobilization with splint or cast, therapy, or surgery may be required.

If your pain is ongoing, you may want to schedule an appointment with our Hand Center to determine the cause such as finger, wrist and hand disorders like arthritis, carpal tunnel, nerve damage, tendonitis or trigger finger.

Learn more about the Hand Specialty Center at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Medical Center. Or, give us a call at Call913-676-8626.

Joint Reconstruction Surgery, also commonly referred to as arthroplasty, is a procedure in which a destroyed or severely damaged joint is reconstructed to relieve pain and improve function. Depending on the type of joint being repaired, different types of material including special metal or plastic or specific kinds of carbon-coated implants will be used for the replacement. In the case of the thumb, a procedure called tight rope anchor suspension is often utilized.

Who's a Candidate?

Someone is a candidate for surgery when the hands or wrists have been weakened either by arthritis or a traumatic injury. Surgery becomes an option once conservative treatment methods such as pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, cortisone injections and splinting prove ineffective at relieving pain. The overall goal of joint reconstruction surgery is to help patients regain diminished strength, improve functionality and, of course, relieve pain.

Procedure Options Explained

Once it’s been established that you are a candidate for surgery, there are a few different procedure options. The right procedure for you will depend on age, hand dominance, occupation, degree of pain, level of usage, mobility goals and, of course, the underlying cause of the symptoms.

Surgical Cleaning

This procedure is often performed when there are painful bone spurs present due to arthritis or, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, large amounts of inflamed tissue. Removing bone spurs and inflamed tissue is most beneficial when it involves joints at the end of the fingers (DIP joints), as opposed to at the base of the fingers or the wrist.

Joint Fusion

Generally reserved for patients with advanced arthritis, joint fusion involves removing the joint altogether and surgically fusing the bones together so that the two bones become one solid bone. This procedure eliminates pain, but also eliminates motion, which affects functionality.

Joint Replacement

This option is most beneficial for treating arthritis in older patients with lower activity levels, as well as those affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Artificial joints may help reduce pain, restore joint motion, improve joint alignment and overall hand function.

Thumb Arthroplasty

Severe, painful arthritis of the base of the thumb may be treated with removal of deformed bone and suspension of the thumb bones with a strong "fiberwire." This relieves pain while retaining thumb motion.

Recovering from Hand and Wrist Procedures

After hand and wrist procedures, you can expect pain-free functions of your hands and wrists. How soon you can return to work and everyday activities depends on the type of work you do and what type of procedure you had. Oftentimes, a protective brace will be worn for a period of time determined by your doctor, occupational therapist or rheumatologist. Generally, patients return to normal functionality after six weeks of recovery.

To learn more about the Hand Specialty Center at AdventHealth Lenexa, give us a call at Call913-676-8626.

Located at AdventHealth Lenexa, this clinic offers the growing population of the western metro area the convenience of receiving high-quality medical care in a location close to home.

23351 Prairie Star Parkway, Suite A125
Lenexa, KS 66227
Call913-676-8626