Guide To Recovering Hand Function After A Stroke

Patients who have had a stroke often experience reduced arm and hand function. Occupational Therapists use a range of hands-on therapeutic techniques to restore these vital functional abilities. When a stroke occurs, the hands may experience increased tone or stiffness due to disrupted connections between the brain and the hand muscles, this is called spasticity. Without this strong neural connection, it may become more difficult to fully straighten the fingers or grasp an item.

As hands recover, strong signs of improvement include a complete extension of the fingers without assistance. Simple, repetitive rehabilitation exercises strengthen the missed connections between the mind and muscles, adjusting the pathways and preventing the spasms. A series of treatments are often prescribed to relax, stretch, and strengthen the hand muscles.

The grip, strength, and overall function of the hands is often additionally impaired, making it difficult to completely lift, grasp, or release items. This complicates everyday tasks and possibly the ability to be independent with functional activities. Additional issues include loss of sensation—sometimes causing a pins-and-needles feeling—or periods of swelling. Intensity of pain and loss of sensations caused by the stroke are often dependent on whether the neurological damage occurred on the dominant or non-dominant side of the brain.