Psychological effects of work-related hand trauma

The hand is a commonly injured part of the body, especially in some occupations. It is critical to both accomplishing tasks and interacting socially so the injured hand becomes an issue in many ways. Our hands are almost always in our line of sight and is also highly visible to others. Therefore it is almost impossible to avoid viewing the disfigured hand, which in itself is a traumatic experience.

The psychological effect of hand trauma cannot be ignored when dealing with patients who have experienced a severe injury. This is especially important when treating work injuries. Work related hand trauma patients showed greater avoidance of returning to work at 6 months post trauma than those with non-work related trauma. This may be due to multiple factors including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), flashbacks to the original injury, fear of judgement from colleagues or employers and concerns about appearance. Patients may keep their hands in their pocket, or wear dressings and splints long after healing has occurred.

Normalising the hand and the injury is a very important step in managing the psychology of work related hand trauma. Encouragement to use the hand as normal as possible helps to make the hand injury less conspicuous and conveys to others that the individual has accommodated the injury.

Referral to a psychologist is a major part of ensuring a good recovery and has been shown to make a difference to patient outcomes after a work injury. A Psychologist is part of the multi-disciplinary team that we work with to restore function and help patients recover after a major injury. It is important for patients to know that there is no stigma associated with seeing a Psychologist and that they should understand how valuable it can be to help them deal with their injury.

If you or someone you know requires further information about a work related hand or wrist injury please contact us via telephone or email by clicking here.