The Hands of Mothers

03/09/2021

03/09/2021

Great reminders here!

19/05/2021

Announcement!
The Hands of Mothers is still here!.. but is now operating under:
Cooloola Hand Therapy!
This is a broader service based in Gympie, Queensland for ALL people with hand/wrist injuries and conditions requiring rehabilitation.
Feel free to head over to Cooloola Hand Therapy to like and follow what is happening over there.

Hand and Upper Limb Rehabilitation in the Gympie Region.

Locally run Hand Therapy Service in Gympie and Cooloola Cove.

Clinic appointments and home visits available.

24/02/2021

The condition called de Quervain's Tenosyovitis (or Syndome) is also known Mother's Wrist or Mommy's Thumb for a reason.
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Women in general are 4-6 times more likely to get de Quervain's than men, and I have certainly seen this in my work through the years.
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Mothers are particularly prone to the condition due to the nature of their new role (i.e. constantly supporting the head of their newborn) and also the changes in their bodies after the birth of their baby.
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My top 3 signs of de Quervain's are: (1) Pain on the thumb side of the wrist with a Finkelstein's Test.
(2) Pain when palpated over the same area. (3) Pain and weakness when lifting a baby and items with the hand sideways and thumb sitting on top (e.g. under baby's armpits or lifting a jug of water). (N.B. I use many assessment tools but here are some red flags).
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Sometimes de Quervain's can be confused with other conditions such as osteoarthritis, scaphoid fracture, and intersection syndrome, so be sure you get a thorough diagnosis assessment.
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Check out a blog post on de Quervain's on my website. Be sure to send in questions.
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Please credit my business if you share or repost. Thankyou

22/02/2021

A few tools of the trade for my Hand Therapy Clinic in Gympie. 10 points if you know what they all are.

Did you know you don't need to be a new mother to see me for hand and upper limb rehabilitation? I currently have spots available for anyone with hand injuries and conditions to see me in the clinic.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

18/11/2020

Thinking of what to get your pregnant friend or family member for Christmas?

What about a voucher for a Pregnancy Massage?

For more details send me a DM 😉

27/10/2020

It is OT Week once again!

It was lovely to meet some local Occupational Therapists yesterday for breakfast. It is such an awesome profession and there is a great bunch in our town. 😘

If you don't know what it Occupational Therapy is, well....it can be hard to define because it can cover so much ground across many fields, but here is a definition I wrote last year in an attempt to explain what OT is! Hope it is helpful. 🌻

07/10/2020

Did you know about discovery calls?

If you are not yet sure if this service is for you or you want to learn more about what I do... feel free to book a Discovery call.

This is a free of charge video chat to discuss what is going on with you and how we might be able to work together.

Book a spot through the website online consultation page and click on the booking tab: www.thehandsofmothers.com/online-consults/

I look forward to meeting you soon.

07/10/2020

Sometimes we stay so focused on our babies and caring for them, that we can be unaware of the damage we are doing to our own bodies.

Some tips from an OT on how to lift your baby and look after yourself in the process:
* Maintain your lower back curve - it should go slightly in, not out.
* Get in close to your baby so you don't leave all the weight and maneuvering to the fingers and hands.
* Bend knees and hips together (a good squat) or consider kneeling on one leg.
* Use your breathing and pelvic floor.

It doesn't require any extra time.... It is just a helpful habit that may protect you from injury. A few reminders and a bit of intention and you're on your way.

Remember, they keep growing and putting on weight, let's get into some good habits now.

Stay safe 😉

22/09/2020

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is often misunderstood. It actually isn't defined as cramping in the hands or even wrist pain.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is when there is compression of the median nerve inside the 'carpal tunnel' which is a pathway that sits at the base of your palm.

Sometimes extra fluid during pregnancy can be a main cause of this compression but so can overuse of the hands and wrist, as well as wrist positioning at night time.

The main symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are tingling and numbness in the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger. Pain can come later in the fingers, hand and wrist if nothing is done to relieve it.

You can go to my website to read a great article on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Pregnancy as well as an article on Reducing swelling in the hands during Pregnancy.

If you think you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, pregnant or not, feel free to make an appointment. Online consultations are also available.

Take care ;)

08/09/2020

Ergonomic assessments mostly occur within the workplace... but motherhood is work too.

You have your own special workplace and environments... Sometimes little changes can make the world of difference in alleviating pain and protecting from injury.

Keep safe.... so you can be well set-up to care for your little ones and focus on what's important without being at risk injury big or small.

07/09/2020

Great visual about perinatal exercise.

There are numerous potential health benefits for women who exercise during and after pregnancy. After all, childbirth is often compared to a marathon and therefore, preparation should be considered.

To coincide with , Vice-chair of Queensland chapter of the Womens, Mens and Pelvic Health group Brooke Dobo, APAM, and Men’s and Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Tory Toogood, MACP, contribute five evidence based practice points about the benefits of exercise during and after pregnancy.

This is proudly brought to you by the Physiotherapy Research Foundation ( ) – supporting research translation.
Read the full article here: http://ow.ly/ys6a50Bjs8P