Influence of the beginning of a special interdisciplinary therapy program with work-related injuries of the hand

The objective of this retrospective study was the evaluation of the outcome of a special interdisciplinary therapy program depending on the beginning of the rehabilitation after the initial injury of the hand or wrist. The outcome of a specialized hand rehabilitation immediately after the treatment program as well as short-term follow-up of 76 patients with injuries of the upper extremity (hand respectively wrist) and CRPS was analysed with the use of self-assessed parameters as well as objective functional scores. The patients were divided into a group with an early (< 120 days after trauma) or late (< 120 days after trauma) beginning of the rehabilitation. Better results for the early beginners were shown with statistical significance for the DASH–Score (p = 0.027) as well as ROM (p = 0.009) at follow-up. Especially patients with CRPS and finger injuries had a benefit. Our study shows the importance of an early beginning especially with respect to function. There are differences in between different injuries or diseases with respect to these effects, especially patients with CRPS seem to profit.