Patient resources
After Surgery
What you do in the first weeks after hand surgery has a real influence on the result - particularly elevation, and doing exactly the amount of movement you have been asked to do, no more and no less.
Specific instructions from your surgeon always take precedence over this general guidance.
The first few days
- Keep the hand elevated above the level of your heart as much as you can - this is the single most effective thing you can do about swelling and pain
- Keep the dressing clean and dry unless you have been told otherwise
- Move the joints you have been told to move, and rest the ones you have been told to rest
- Take pain medication as directed, and reduce it as the pain allows
- Expect some swelling and bruising, which can extend beyond the operated area
Hand therapy
Hand therapy is not an optional extra after most hand surgery. After tendon repair in particular, the therapy protocol is as important as the operation, because the tendon has to heal and glide at the same time.
Therapy programmes are specific to the procedure. Doing more than the programme allows can rupture a repair; doing less can leave a stiff hand.
Getting back to things
- Return to driving depends on the procedure, the hand and your ability to control the vehicle safely
- Return to work depends on what your job requires of your hands
- Grip strength is generally the slowest thing to return, often over months
- Scars continue to soften and fade for a year or more
Contact the office or seek urgent care
- Fever, or spreading redness around the wound
- Increasing pain that is not controlled by your medication
- Fingers that become pale, blue, cold or newly numb
- A dressing that becomes soaked with blood
- Wound drainage, an offensive smell, or a wound that opens
- Calf pain, chest pain or shortness of breath - seek emergency care immediately
Questions
How long will my hand be swollen?
Some swelling for weeks is normal, and after more significant surgery it can persist for months. Elevation, movement of the joints you are allowed to move, and hand therapy all help. Swelling that increases suddenly, or comes with redness and fever, should be reported.
When can I get the dressing wet?
This depends on the procedure and the type of dressing, so follow the instructions you were given. If you are unsure, ask rather than guess - a wound that gets wet too early can become a much larger problem.
Is it normal for the scar to be sensitive?
Yes. Scars in the hand are often tender and sensitive for a period, and the palm in particular can be uncomfortable to press on for some months after surgery. Hand therapists have specific techniques for this.
Request an appointment
Consultations begin with understanding your symptoms, what you can no longer do comfortably, and what has already been tried.