Implications for Rehabilitation After Total Wrist Arthroplasty

Abstract

Achieving satisfactory, long-term functional outcomes after total wrist arthroplasty surgery has proved more complicated than with arthroplasties in joints such as the hip or knee. However, improvements in implant design and surgical technique have resulted in recent successes and evidence that wrist arthroplasty may be an appropriate choice to improve function in select patients. This article reviews factors that therapists must consider in planning, implementing, and progressing individual patients' rehabilitation programs after wrist arthroplasty surgery. Therapists must be knowledgeable about the specifics of each patient's surgery so that the rehabilitation program can be customized appropriately and can contribute to achieving pain-free stable wrist movement that allows patients to perform their desired functional activities.