title: Outcome following the rehabilitation of hand trauma patients. The importance of a subjective functional assessment.
abstract: Objective measures of hand function have been used to assess the outcome of rehabilitation following trauma. However, subjective assessments of function have been avoided by clinicians due to the difficulty in proving their validity and reliability. We have developed a subjective hand function scoring system (HFS), based on an activities of daily living assessment, which is used in planning and monitoring progress through rehabilitation. The HFS for 64 traumatic hand injuries were assessed on admission and discharge, and a significant improvement was found. There was a positive correlation between the HFS on admission and both the severity of injury, and the length of time off work. This scoring system is not validated, but this study illustrates the use of subjective functional scoring systems in the planning, delivery and evaluation of rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Odstock Centre for Burns, Plastic and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Salisbury District General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenstock
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome