Instructional Concurrent Session 3

When patients present to me with trigger finger, they typically have many questions: Will this get better? What exercises are appropriate? How can I avoid an injection or surgery? As clinicians, we are expected to provide clear guidance, yet sometimes the large volume of information available to us is conflicting, outdated, or inconsistently applied in practice. This confusion is increasingly amplified by social media, where exercises are often promoted as “the best way to get rid of trigger finger,” despite limited or inconsistent evidence to support many of these claims.

This variability raises important clinical questions. What does the current evidence actually say about conservative management of trigger finger? When should we confidently recommend a course of hand therapy, and when should we recognize that therapy is unlikely to be effective? How should splinting be implemented - what type, for how long, and with what expectations? 
The aim of this presentation is to critically review and synthesize the available evidence on trigger finger management and present it in a clear, concise, and clinically relevant manner. By translating current research into practical recommendations, this session will support hand therapists in making informed, evidence-based decisions when treating this extremely common yet potentially debilitating condition.

Level: Entry

This presentation will be a case for hand therapy's role with patients who have undergone masculinizing mastectomies and/or radial free forearm flap phalloplasty, two gender-affirming surgical procedures that affect upper extremity function in the postoperative period. In addition to orienting participants to the unique clinical needs of gender-affirming surgery patients and providing an overview of these two specific surgical procedures as they relate to the upper extremity, participants will be guided through scar care interventions for this population. As a hand therapist with training in medical illustration, this has been developed as an illustrated self-management guide that will both help guide clinicians who have never treated gender-affirming surgery patients and guide patients in self-management techniques that will optimize their surgical outcomes.

Level: Entry

The session will equip hand therapists with practical, contextually relevant knowledge regarding the impact of core stabilization and posterior chain activation on the functional recovery of the hand and upper limb following injury or surgical intervention. This content explores the impact of pelvic, spinal, and scapular integration, plus static and dynamic postural control, on upper limb function in daily activities (activities in daily living and instrumental activities of daily living). Participants will learn methods to evaluate core and posterior chain contributions relevant to upper limb rehabilitation. This exploration will enable learners to recognize hand therapy interventions that incorporate functional strengthening and exercise principles. Attendees will use case scenarios and clinical examples to develop intervention programs focused on movement efficiency, load sharing, and endurance that support better patient outcomes.

Level: Intermediate, Advanced

This course provides a focused exploration of the anatomy, biomechanics, and clinical implications of forearm rotation, emphasizing the complex interplay between the radius, ulna, interosseous membrane, and associated musculature. Learners will examine how pronation and supination contribute to functional movement and how disruptions in these mechanisms lead to common and complex clinical presentations.

Through case-based learning and evidence-informed discussion, the course reviews key conditions such as radial head fractures, Essex-Lopresti injuries, Monteggia and Galeazzi fracture-dislocations, distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability, triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries, and tendinopathies affecting the pronator and supinator muscle groups. Special attention is given to mechanisms of injury, diagnostic considerations, red flags, and the functional consequences of impaired rotational control.

By the end of the course, learners will be equipped with a deeper understanding of forearm rotational mechanics and the injuries that compromise them, supporting more accurate assessment, clearer documentation, and more effective interdisciplinary communication in clinical practice.

Health care in general contributes significantly to environmental degradation through waste generation, energy use, and supply chain practices. Rehabilitation services–including hand and upper extremity therapy–are not exempt from these impacts, yet the profession lacks a clearly articulated, evidence-informed framework for environmentally sustainable clinical practice.

Sustainability, for the purposes of this project, is defined as environmental sustainability within hand and upper extremity therapy–specifically practices that reduce material waste, optimize resource use, and support long-term ecological and community health in the context of hand therapy. While sustainability can be conceptualized across personal, professional, organizational, and environmental domains, this PSA will explicitly focus on environmental sustainability as it relates to clinical decision-making, materials, and systems of care.

This project responds directly to priorities identified by leaders in hand therapy and occupational therapy advocacy, while addressing a documented gap in the U.S.-based hand therapy literature. Rather than summarizing the work of professional leaders, students will conduct original scholarly synthesis, analysis, and tool development to advance sustainable occupational therapy practice.