Occupational Therapy

• Arm Injuries

  Minor arm injuries are common. Symptoms often develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury. Arm injuries are often caused by: Sports or hobbies. Work-related tasks. Work or projects around the home. Your child may injure his or her arm during sports or play or from accidental falls. The chance of...

• Arm Problems, Noninjury

  Covers problems like swelling or arm pain caused by overuse, arthritis, and hormone changes. Links to info on bursitis and osteoarthritis. Includes tool to help you decide when to call a doctor. Offers home treatment and prevention tips.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Few Tips for Preventing It

  Learn what movements may help cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Get tips to help prevent it and manage symptoms.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Stretches

  Learn stretches that can help you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and manage your symptoms.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Should I Have Surgery?

  Guides you through decision to have or not have carpal tunnel release surgery. Looks at problems carpal tunnel syndrome can cause. Covers types of surgery and compares with wrist splint therapy. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

• Elbow Injuries

  Covers common causes of elbow injuries. Discusses injuries caused by sudden injury and those caused by overuse. Discusses treatment options. Offers interactive tool to help you decide when to see a doctor. Covers home treatment and prevention tips.

• Elbow Problems, Noninjury

  Looks at conditions, such as gout, pinched nerve, bursitis, tennis elbow, and golfer's elbow, that may cause elbow problems. Offers interactive tool to help you decide when to see the doctor. Covers home treatment and prevention tips.

• Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries

  Details types of injuries to the fingers, hands, and wrists. Discusses possible emergency situations. Includes worksheet to help you decide when to seek care. Offers home treatment and prevention tips.

• Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Noninjury

  Covers finger, hand, and wrist problems caused by medical conditions and overuse. Offers symptom check list. Includes worksheet to help you decide when to call a doctor. Offers home treatment and prevention tips.

• Small Joint Surgery for Osteoarthritis

  If osteoarthritis in the joints of the hands or feet is so severe that function is impossible (rare with osteoarthritis), surgery may allow some pain-free motion. In the hands, the goal is enough pain-free motion to allow the person to do basic...

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Safe Posture and Movements

  Repeated hand and wrist movements, especially if they are done in awkward positions such as with the wrist bent forward or back, can cause swelling or thickening of tissues within the carpal tunnel. The swelling makes the carpal tunnel smaller and...

• Wrist Splint for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  A wrist splint is a brace that looks like a fingerless glove. It stabilizes your wrist in a straight and sometimes slightly bent-back position. Wearing a wrist splint minimizes pressure on the median nerve and allows you a period of "relative rest"...

• Open Carpal Tunnel Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Covers open surgery to release pressure on the median nerve to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in your hand. Looks at how the surgery is done, how well it works, and what to expect after surgery. Includes info on risks.

• Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Covers endoscopic surgery to release pressure on the median nerve to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in your hand. Looks at how the surgery is done, how well it works, and what to expect after surgery. Includes info on risks.

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Discusses carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition caused by pressure on the median nerve. Covers causes and symptoms such as tingling or numbness in the hand, forearm, or wrist. Discusses what increases your risk. Covers nonsurgical and surgical treatment.

• Tennis Elbow: Stretches and Strengthening Exercises

  Follow instructions from your physical therapist or other health professional for stretching and strengthening exercises. Stretching exercises are controlled stretches that prevent tennis elbow stiffness and tendon shortening. Gently bend, straighten, and rotate your wrist. If you have increasing...

• Surgery for Tennis Elbow

  Surgery for tennis elbow may involve: Cutting (releasing) the tendon. Removing inflamed tissue from the tendon. Repairing (reattaching) tendon tears if it is possible to do so without overtightening the tendon. Surgery may be done using arthroscopy, traditional open surgery, or a combination of the two techniques...

• Tennis Elbow

  Covers symptoms of tennis elbow, including pain around the elbow. Covers activities that increase risk, like gardening, swimming, or golf. Looks at treatment options, including surgery. Offers prevention tips, including photos of exercises that may help.

• Elbow Bursitis and Tendon Injury: Preventing Pain

  Bursitis or a tendon injury (tendinopathy) in the elbow causes soreness or pain in the elbow region, particularly when the arm is in motion. Pressing on the affected area will also cause pain. The epicondyles are the bony bumps you can feel on the inside and outside of your elbow. Tendinopathy or epicondylopathy is a...

• Wrist Care: Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Describes symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome such as tingling, numbness, or pain in the fingers, thumb, or hand that occur with pressure on the median nerve. Offers prevention tips. Offers links to more info on carpal tunnel syndrome and office ergonomics.

• Occupational Therapy

  Occupational therapy is treatment to help people live as independently as possible. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who, because of illness, injury, developmental delays, or psychological problems, need assistance in learning...

• Tennis Elbow: Should I Have Surgery?

  Guides through the decision to have surgery for tennis elbow (also called lateral epicondylitis). Explains how surgery is done. Covers risks. Lists reasons for and against surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

• Down Syndrome: Training and Therapy for Young People

  People with Down syndrome usually have some level of independence by the time they become adults. Different types of specialized therapies, counseling, and training can help them learn necessary skills and manage emotional issues. The common types...

• Developmental Problems: Testing

  Health professionals who see infants and children screen for (watch for early signs of) developmental disabilities at every well-child visit. Developmental problems can affect how a child can talk, move, concentrate, and/or socialize. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental testing for children...

• Paraffin Wax for Arthritis

  You can use paraffin wax (may be called either paraffin or wax) to apply moist heat to your hands or feet to ease the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. Paraffin especially helps to reduce pain and loosen up your hand and finger joints before exercise. You should talk with your doctor before trying paraffin at...

• Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  Tingling, numbness, and pain in the hands are common during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester. These problems are usually caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, and they usually go away after pregnancy. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a specific group of symptoms that can include tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain...