Hand, being a highly specialized organ is responsible for a variety of functions. It can push, lift loads, wrestle but at the same time it can effectuate a series of very precise, complicated movements like writing or sewing. To a large extent, it is this broad specialization on which general fitness of the whole organism hinges. The development of the cortex as well as intricate nervous mechanisms makes our hands something absolutely exceptional and fascinating. If the nervous process goes undisturbed, we are able to initiate a movement, control its effectuation and terminate it with fluency. The cortex which is responsible for movements of the upper limb and especially of palms, thumbs and fingers, takes surprisingly much space in comparison to other parts of the body. This fact undoubtedly indicates the great functional importance of the hand in our everyday life.

If you use a wheelchair but you have fully abled hands, you can carry out most of everyday tasks, what makes you much more self-dependent.

There are few people who realize how important role is played by hand dexterity in speech development. The stimulation of palms goes together with the stimulation of brain area responsible for palms' movements and indirectly with the stimulation of motor speech centre. Thus, if a child shows symptoms of speech disorder, it is worth working on the right perception and dexterity of hands.

Moreover, on the palm side of hands there are numerous receptors responsible for all the organs in the human body.

WHAT IS THE AIM OF HAND THERAPY?

Hand therapy aims at improving so-called small motorics - that is to say precise hand and finger movements. It happens by providing tactile sensations and helping a child to know and discern different shapes and structures. However, the main goal of hand therapy is to make a patient gain autonomy and self-dependence in everyday activities.

GOALS:

aiding precise hand movements

improving grasping capacities

teaching concentration and vision skills

improving concentration

improving visual-motorial coordination

teaching body schemes


WHO SHOULD ATTEND HAND THERAPY?

children who are not willing to undertake manual activities (painting, playing with plasticine, handling small objects)

children who have difficulty learning self-service activities (putting on clothes, tying shoelaces, buttoning)

children who have lower or higher than normal muscle tone of the upper limb and shoulder girdle

children who have problems with coordination of both hands in manipulatory tasks

children who too slowly or too quickly carry out tasks which require much precision

children who do not like to touch new and different factures

children who strive to get additional proprioceptive sensations and demand decided and strong pressure on hands e.g. they tend to sit on their hands, clench fists, touch and hit sharp-edged objects

EFFECTS
Thanks to exercises and massages, carefully adjusted, the following skills can be improved:

motor dexterity of the upper limb

manual dexterity of the palm of the hand

grasp capacity

coordination of both hands