Beginner Wrist and Hand Tendon Repair Rehab

Program Overview This is a 24-week, beginner-level rehabilitation guide for recovery after wrist and hand tendon repair. It includes carpal tunnel, tendon, and distal radius/ulna considerations. You will build toward two supervised sessions per week, about 45 minutes each, using a balance board, dip station, and weight vest as your strength and balance tools. Progress is gradual and guided by your clinician.

Who This Program Is For and Its Goal This program is for people early in recovery after a wrist or hand tendon repair who want a safe, structured path back to daily function. The goal is to protect the repair first, then gradually restore wrist and hand movement, grip strength, and whole-body control, while keeping pain low and using equipment only as your clinician approves.

Before You Start Talk with your surgeon and physical therapist before beginning any activity. These exercises are general guidance, not a prescription for your specific repair.

Safety Notes and When to Stop Do not start this program if you have a recent fracture, unstable fixation, severe osteoporosis, or severe pain. These make loading unsafe. Stop and call your clinician right away if you notice new or worsening pain, swelling, numbness, color change, or if your splint feels loose or the repair feels "off." Warm up before every session and never overload the wrist or hand; progress only as your clinician directs.

Weekly Structure Plan two sessions each week, roughly 45 minutes each, for 24 weeks, with rest days between them.

How the 24-Week Plan Is Organized The plan moves through phases: protection, early protected motion, controlled motion, and strengthening. Early weeks focus on gentle movement and protecting the repair; later weeks add graded grip and body control using the balance board, dip station, and weight vest, always within limits your clinician sets. Equipment is introduced only when safe for your stage.

What a Typical Session Looks Like Each session follows a consistent pattern: gentle warm-up first, main therapy work in the middle, then cool-down and inflammation control, keeping the wrist supported and movements controlled throughout.

Session Pattern Begin with a warm-up such as light arm and shoulder movement and gentle hand motion. Main work includes your prescribed tendon gliding and range-of-motion tasks, with balance board, dip station, or weight vest only when your clinician clears them and only at safe, graded effort. Cool down with gentle stretching and rest, applying cold as advised for swelling. Keep the wrist in its splint position during warm-up if instructed.

Tracking Progress Track pain, swelling, movement, and grip each session using simple notes, plus your outcome measures.

Using Progression Criteria and Outcome Measures Your clinician uses phase criteria to decide when you move forward, such as comfort, movement range, and grip returning toward the other side. Outcome measures like the MHQ, Jamar grip, goniometry, BCTQ, 9-Hole Peg Test, and DASH show change over time and guide adjustments. Never advance phases on your own.

Recovery and Self-Care Rest, elevate when swollen, and follow your splint and activity instructions. Modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, paraffin, cold therapy, and putty/ball gliding are applied by or under the guidance of your clinician.

Pain Management and Red Flags Keep pain controlled and avoid pushing through sharp pain; use rest and cold as advised. Call your clinician for increasing pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, fever, wound changes, or any sense the repair has failed. Do not add medication or dosages without your clinician.