The hands, burns and plastic surgery physiotherapy team provides physiotherapy services to patients who are being cared for one of our plastic surgery or a burns specialist consultants.
Our therapists work with many other healthcare professionals, and our clinical lead physiotherapist works alongside our consultant clinics to make sure patients receive the best possible services.
We are also supported by a specialist technical instructor who has a workshop to help rehabilitate patients in achieving their specific goals.
Plastic surgery
The physiotherapy team provides care for patients who have undergone treatment for a wide range of conditions and surgeries, including:
- Reconstructive surgery following head and neck cancer
- Facial reanimation surgery following facial palsy (weakness of the facial muscles due to nerve damage)
- Brachial plexus (network of nerves running from the spine to the arm) repair and management
- Tendon and nerve transfers for upper and lower limb following traumatic and elective procedures.
- Complex breast reconstruction surgery following or alongside resection for cancer.
- Skin grafts and tissue ‘flap’ reconstruction for several reasons including following skin cancer.
- Surgery for lower limb trauma.
- Lymphoedema – one of our physiotherapists runs a clinic to support patients with this condition which also involves the provision of specialist compression garments.
Our team includes a clinical specialist burns therapist who provides ongoing care for patients, even many years following their injury.
This care involves supporting patients in the community when they are discharged from hospital and working alongside burns consultants in the clinic setting to provide specialist scar management for patients.
Burns
The physiotherapy team provides a vital role in rehabilitation at all stages of patient’s recovery following a burn injury. This includes both inpatient and outpatient care following the initial injury through to scar reconstructive surgery.
Our team includes a clinical specialist burns therapist who provides ongoing care for patients, even many years following their injury.
This care involves supporting patients in the community when they are discharged from hospital and working alongside burns consultants in the clinic setting to provide specialist scar management for patients.
Treatment techniques
Treatment is aimed at restoring movement and function as much as possible. Treatment techniques we use include:
- Exercises and stretches
- Joint mobilisation
- Massage
- Splinting
- Positioning
- Education and advice.
- Scar management
Hand surgery
We provide physiotherapy for all patients staying on the plastic surgery wards. Treatment is followed up with physiotherapists based in the plastic surgery dressing unit, and in the rehabilitation department.
The hand therapy team provides a regional service to deal with a wide range of complex hand injuries. Common hand conditions we treat include:
- Hand trauma including tendon repairs, fractures, blood vessel and nerve repair.
- Dupuytren’s disease
- Nerve injuries and compression syndromes including brachial plexus injuries
- Congenital abnormalities
- Soft tissue injuries
- Joint replacements
- Osteoarthritis of the hand
- Post traumatic reconstructive surgery
- Replantation of a body part and restoration of blood supply.
Treatment techniques
The hand therapy team work in collaboration with the medical staff to decide when it is safe to commence physiotherapy. Some of the treatment techniques used include:
- Providing education and advice to treat patients with a wide range of conditions and pathologies
- Psychological and emotional support
- Provide an extensive range of splints, both custom made and prefabricated.
- Mobilisation, stretching and exercises
- positioning
- Oedema and scar management – with the use of elevation, pressure garments, compression, silicone products and massage.
- Electrotherapy
- Sensory re-education and desensitisation
Our main aim is to help patients achieve the best possible function in order to allow them to continue with their daily activities to the best of their abilities.
We are still treating patients face-to-face as we deem necessary but due to COVID-19 we are also offering telephone and video follow-up consultations where appropriate.
Contact us
For more information, please call:
Tel: 0191 282 5484
