Osteoarthritis and rheumatism of the hand

Osteoarthritis and rheumatism of the hand

Pain relief and preservation of function in Frankfurt

Osteoarthritis and rheumatic diseases of the hand often lead to severe pain, swelling, and increasing stiffness, significantly limiting daily independence. Our specialized occupational therapy treatment in Frankfurt am Main aims to alleviate this pain, mobilize the joints, and preserve the remaining function of your hand as much as possible. We employ targeted, joint-friendly techniques to improve your quality of life and minimize the impact of the condition on your daily activities.

  • Joint protection advice and ergonomic adjustments for everyday life. 
  • Special exercises for mobilization and strengthening without overloading. 
  • Treatment of acute flare-ups to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Ergotherapeutin Leonie Kruse bei der Behandlung eines Patienten; Fokus auf die Narbenmobilisation als Teil der spezialisierten Handtherapie nach einer Hand-OP.
Ergotherapeutische Hilfsmittel werden von Leonie Kruse in der Handtherapie eingesetzt, um die Feinmotorik nach einer Verletzung zu schulen.
Your situation

When every grasp becomes a challenge

Osteoarthritis often affects the thumb's carpometacarpal joint (rhizarthrosis) and the finger joints. The resulting instability and pain make simple tasks like opening, gripping, or writing difficult. Our therapy addresses this by specifically strengthening the surrounding muscles to improve the joints' resilience.

  • Rheumatic diseases often cause inflammatory processes that can lead to joint damage. During the acute phase, we focus on relieving pressure and pain management in Frankfurt. Outside of flare-ups, we work on maintaining mobility.
  • A key component of our treatment is comprehensive joint protection advice. You will learn how to use your hands in everyday life in a way that avoids unnecessary strain and pain spikes. This is essential to slowing the progression of the disease.
  • We use manual techniques to gently mobilize stiff joints and relax muscles that are tense due to compensatory postures. These measures help to expand the functional range of your hand.
  • In addition to active therapy, we offer the fitting of orthoses and splints that can stabilize and relieve painful joints. This prevents overload in everyday life and supports function.

Learn how to restore the functionality of your hand.

Details on implementation

Joint-friendly therapy in Frankfurt

component of occupational therapyTherapeutic goal
Joint protection adviceMinimize everyday stress
Individual mobilizationMaintain hand mobility
Assistive device provisionSecuring independence
Pain-relieving measuresImprove quality of life
Functional trainingTargeted strength building

The focus is on raising awareness of how to best protect the hands when dealing with rheumatic and arthritic conditions. We will work with you to develop strategies for managing everyday tasks such as cooking, dressing, or opening bottles with less pain.

  • Joint mobilization is always performed with consideration for the pain threshold to prevent irritation of already inflamed or worn joints. This can be achieved through gentle passive or active movements.
  • We offer comprehensive advice on assistive devices to make gripping easier and relieve joint strain. This includes special openers, grip thickeners, or ergonomic cutlery, which we integrate into our therapy.
  • To relieve pain, we use not only passive methods but also anti-inflammatory measures and soft tissue treatment techniques. This can be particularly helpful during acute flare-ups or severe morning stiffness.
  • Functional training focuses on muscular stabilization of the affected joints. We train coordination and hand strength in such a way that the joints are relieved of stress through strengthened muscles.
Added value and outlook

Long-term preservation of hand function

Our expertise in osteoarthritis Hand Therapy In Frankfurt, we can go beyond mere pain management. We equip you with the knowledge to manage your chronic condition in the long term and actively combat functional loss. Through a combination of joint protection, targeted training, and assistive device consultation, we ensure that you maintain your independence for as long as possible. I will support you with an evidence-based and client-centered approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers about osteoarthritis and rheumatism

Yes, joint protection advice is part of occupational therapy and requires a doctor's prescription. Your doctor can issue you a corresponding prescription.

In acute phases, we focus on pain relief, edema management, and relieving pressure on the joints through positioning and splints. Active training is initially reduced.

Osteoarthritis is not curable, but therapy can significantly reduce pain and slow the loss of function. Our goal is to achieve the best possible hand function in everyday life.

Yes, stabilizing splints can relieve and immobilize painful joints, such as the thumb's carpometacarpal joint. We offer consultations in Frankfurt to determine the appropriate treatment.

Daily and regular completion of the home program is crucial for success. We will discuss the exact frequency with you individually.

Schedule an appointment now

Your expert for joint health in Frankfurt

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