[Occupational therapy after complex hand injuries : Remedy with focus on activity and participation].

BACKGROUND

Clients with complex hand injuries are considerably restricted in their daily and occupational activities as well as participation in society.

OBJECTIVE

Presentation and classification of complex hand injuries, description of the important hand therapies and occupational therapy as a remedy with a focus on occupation, case presentation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Evaluation of official statistics, analysis of publications and literature, discussion of basic occupational therapy work, expert recommendation.

RESULTS

Within the framework of reported occupational accidents, annually approximately 41% of all injured parts of the body affect the hands. The number of unreported hand injuries that occur each year in Germany is probably much higher. The hand as a multifunctional organ for gripping and perception enables people to carry out activities in a wide variety of areas of life and is the basis for a successful participation in society. The restoration of the function after a complex hand injury necessitates a multimodal approach.

CONCLUSION

By virtue of its unique perspective on human activity including the work context, occupational therapy plays a decisive role in the treatment process for clients with complex hand injuries. The aim of the rehabilitation is a successful performance of meaningful activities in the respective life context. This can only be successful through a close cooperation between all the specialist disciplines involved in the treatment. Such an interdisciplinary treatment approach enables activity and participation of the client.