Flexor tendon repair pediatric therapy

Children less than three years old are often unable to maintain a cast on the arm unless the elbow is included. The usual protocol is to cast these patients with the elbow, wrist and metacarpal phalangeal joints in 90 degrees of flexion with the fingers left free.

0 - 4 weeks:

If the fingers are accessible, the parents are instructed on passive flexion ranging of the fingers in the cast two to six times daily. This is not always possible.

4 - 12 weeks:

The cast is removed and the patient is allowed active use of the hand. The parents are instructed in scar massage and bilateral hand activity games.

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