Discharged but
not recovered
Being discharged from hospital does not mean your rehabilitation is complete. If your hand, wrist or arm is still not right weeks or months after a fracture, specialist Hand Therapy can still make a significant difference.
Bone healed.
Hand not working.
After a fracture, the focus is understandably on the bone healing. But bone healing is only part of recovery. The surrounding tendons, joints and soft tissues can remain stiff, weak and restricted long after the fracture itself has resolved. Without specialist rehabilitation, many people simply do not get back to where they were before their injury.
Ms Razo is a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) with extensive experience in post-fracture rehabilitation across the hand, wrist, elbow and upper limb. She regularly sees patients who were discharged weeks or months earlier without intensive rehabilitation input and who still have significant stiffness, weakness or functional loss. In the majority of cases, meaningful improvement is still achievable.
Upper limb fractures
at every stage
Ms Razo treats the full range of hand, wrist and upper limb fractures — both immediately post-injury and in delayed presentations months after discharge. Early and late rehabilitation are both within her scope.
One of the most commonly missed fractures. The scaphoid has a poor blood supply and heals slowly. Delayed treatment or inadequate rehabilitation can lead to bone death or long-term wrist instability.
A broken wrist is one of the most common fractures in adults. Post-surgical or post-cast rehabilitation is essential for restoring full movement, strength and function. Stiffness and weakness after cast removal usually will not resolve on their own.
Fractures of the phalanges require precise rehabilitation to prevent stiffness, deformity and loss of grip. Delayed treatment or inadequate rehabilitation can result in permanent functional loss.
Fractures of the metacarpal bones, including boxer's fractures, require careful management to restore full hand function, particularly grip strength and the ability to make a full fist.
The elbow is particularly prone to stiffness following fracture. Early rehabilitation is critical to restoring range of movement. Delayed presentation can still make significant gains with specialist input.
Following surgical fixation of any upper limb fracture, specialist rehabilitation is essential. Ms Razo works closely with surgeons and can provide rehabilitation from the earliest post-operative stage.
The gap between healed
and recovered
Many patients are discharged with a healed fracture and told to move the joint and let it settle. For some, this is enough. For many, it is not — particularly where the fracture was complex, where surgery was involved or where movement was restricted during immobilisation.
Ms Razo assesses exactly where the deficit lies — whether it is joint stiffness, tendon tightness, scar tissue, weakness or a combination — and designs rehabilitation specifically around that.
A structured, progressive programme of exercises, manual therapy and functional activity that is graded to your current level and advances in line with your recovery.
Serial splinting and dynamic splints can be highly effective in recovering movement in a stiff joint following fracture, particularly at a delayed stage.
The goal is a return to the activities that matter to you — work, sport, hobbies and daily life. Ms Razo sets clear functional goals from the outset and works toward them systematically.
Frequently asked
questions
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No. Many patients come to Ms Razo months or even over a year after a fracture, having been discharged without targeted rehabilitation or with ongoing stiffness, weakness or pain. Significant improvements in function are still achievable at a delayed stage. The first step is a thorough assessment.
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Bone healing and functional recovery are two different things. A fracture can be healed on X-ray while the surrounding tendons, joints and soft tissues remain stiff, weak or restricted. This is exactly the problem that specialist Hand Therapy addresses.
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Rarely. Movement is important, but unguided movement after a fracture often leads to compensatory patterns, persistent stiffness and incomplete recovery. A structured, progressive rehabilitation programme guided by a specialist produces significantly better outcomes than self-directed movement alone.
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It depends on the fracture, the degree of stiffness or weakness and how long ago the injury occurred. Ms Razo will give you a realistic assessment of what is achievable and over what timeframe at your initial appointment. Most patients see meaningful improvement within a few weeks of starting specialist rehabilitation.
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No. You can self-refer directly to Ms Razo. If you are under a surgeon, she can liaise with them directly and provide progress reports as needed.
Still not right
after your fracture?
It is not too late. Book a specialist assessment with Ms Razo and find out what can still be achieved. Same-week appointments available. No GP referral needed.