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COVID Safety Notice

First published March 26, 2020 12:40pm. Updated 29th June 10:00am AEST

All patients and visitors must be wearing a mask and sign in upon entry with a QR code.

New South Wales – From 6pm on Saturday 26 June 2021, if you have been in Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour for any reason since Monday 21 June 2021, you must follow the stay at home rules and must continue to follow them for 14 days after you were last in Greater Sydney until 11.59pm on Friday 9 July 2021.

The requirement to wear a face mask in all indoor areas of non-residential premises that was recently applied in Greater Sydney has been extended to all of NSW.

Read more from NSW Health – HERE

COVID-19 Screening Questionnaire

  • Are you feeling unwell with symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath?
  • Have you had close contact with someone who has a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19)?
  • Have you travelled within the last 14 days?

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What is Raynaud’s Disease?  

Raynaud’s Disease, pronounced ‘ray-nose’ is a condition caused by the sympathetic nervous system which causes narrowing of arteries in the fingers, toes and or nose, resulting in reduced blood flow to these areas. This results in change in colour with fingers turning black or white, and then blue or purple. This cascade of colour changes is known as Raynaud’s Phenomenon. Symptoms include feeling cold, numbness, and occasionally pain in the affected areas.  

What causes Raynaud’s Disease? 

Raynaud’s Disease can be caused by cold weather, stress and anxiety, use of vibratory tools or existing medical conditions resulting in reduced blood flow. They are often associated with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases such as lupus, scleroderma, rheuamtoid arthritis or CREST syndrome.  

Risk factors 

Raynaud’s is more common in females, between the ages of 20-40, in colder climates. It is commonly associated with autoimmune conditions such as scleroderma. Some medications can predispose people to Raynaud’s Disease, such as migraine medications. Smoking is also a risk factor. 

What can we do? 

• Unfortunately, there is poor evidence for medications being effective (such as calcium channel blockers and vasodilators) 
• Activity modification – avoid smoking, stay hydrated and exercise regularly  
• Stress management and overall well-being 
• Wear gloves and mittens, layer your clothing or use hand warmers  

If you think you may suffer from Raynaud’s disease, and would like more information on how to manage it, please feel free to book an appointment with one of our experienced therapists today 

By Chen Li – BAppSc(Phty), Hand Therapy Group Physiotherapist, Accredited Hand Therapist (AHTA), Certified Hand Therapist (USA)

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Joint pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are often flared up during colder weather. Arthritis in the hand commonly occurs at the thumb carpometacarpal joint, fingertips or known as the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) and metacarpal joint. Arthritis can also occur at the wrist. Here we take a look at different ways of managing arthritis and how a hand therapist can help. 

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Finger injuries are generally known as a ‘jarred finger.’ It commonly occurs in sports such as netball, AFL, oz tag and rugby. Quite often they are left untreated and can lead to swelling, stiffness, pain and finger deformities. Here we take a look at the most common finger injuries and how a Hand Therapist can help.

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Hand Writing Assessments for Children 

Despite learning in the digital age with laptops and iPads, handwriting is still an essential part of learning. Being able to write legibly allows your child to communicate their knowledge during exams and when they step into the workforce.  

Messy handwriting can be affected by numerous factors. These include:

  • Language deficits
  • Visual, spatial and/or fine motor issues affecting their coordination
  • Environmental factors (eg. sitting posture, size of pencils or pens and desk set up)
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You may be referred to see a ‘hands physio’ or hand therapist after an injury. Do you know what makes a hand therapist different to a general physiotherapist or occupational therapist? Let’s take a look.  

What does a hand therapist do?

A hand therapist, or practitioner in hand therapy, is a qualified occupational therapist or physiotherapist who specialises in treating hand, wrist and upper limb injuries. Hand therapists have further gained their knowledge in the anatomy and rehabilitation of the upper limb by attending courses, clinical experience and self-directed study. 

How can a hand therapist help?

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Training for rowing or exercising on a rowing machine can cause pain in the forearm and wrist.

This can be due to poor technique or repetitive motions straining the forearm and wrist muscles. It can lead to multiple types of overuse injuries such as lateral epicondylitis or intersection syndrome.

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The ECU (extensor carpi ulnaris) tendon can become painful and swollen from a repetitive twisting of the forearm.

The ECU tendon is one of the main muscles to move the wrist, helping it to extend and move to the side in an ulnar direction, but it also plays an important role in stabilising the ulnar side of the wrist during forearm rotation. The tendon lies in a sheath (the 6th dorsal compartment) which holds the tendon stable against the ulnar styloid. It can become inflamed within the sheath during overuse activities that require combined and repetitive wrist extension, ulnar deviation and rotation such as tennis, and golf.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a fairly common condition in the hand that typically presents with nocturnal symptoms of numbness, pins and needles and tingling in the thumb, index, middle and one side of the ring fingers, aggravated by sleeping with a bent wrist.

However, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can also be caused by repetitive, strong and/or sustained gripping during day time activities and then symptoms might be more prevalent during the day than at night.

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A Smith’s fracture is a fracture to the distal radius (wrist). It is often called a reverse Colle’s fracture; the more common type of distal radius fracture.

A Colle’s fracture occurs from falling and landing on an extended wrist (palm side of the hand). The fracture can often displace backwards in the direction of the injury. Whereas a Smith’s fracture is caused by falling with the wrist flexed and the fracture can displace forewards, also in align with the direction of force.

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