Rehabilitation of Hand Burn Patients Implementing Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Patients with burns to their hands require rehabilitation for their early return to work and good quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of early intervention with occupational therapy in patients with burns to their hands. This study included 60 patients with second or third degree hand burns. Patients were included to the study 2 weeks after their burn wounds and grafted areas had healed. They had 3 occupational therapy sessions per week for 8 weeks. These sessions included active and passive range of motion exercises, stretching exercises, active resistive exercises and practicing activities of daily living. Before and after the 8 weeks of occupational therapy using the DASH questionnaire, functionality of the hand was assessed. Before intervention with occupational therapy, the average DASH score was 62.5, and after 8 weeks of occupational therapy it was 30.4 (average difference between the pre-intervention and post- intervention DASH scores is 32.1 points, p < 0.001). After 8 weeks of occupational therapy, patients performed daily living activities with relatively very less difculty, and functionality of the hands was also increased. This study suggests that early intervention with rehabilitative therapies is benecial and may result in improved hand function.