Helping Hands -- Passion for Healing, Music Motivates Hand Therapist

Gary Dostalek, ORT/L, CHT, PTA

Exercising the tendons and muscles in your hand after surgery, a nerve injury or a finger, wrist, elbow or shoulder fracture is critical to making a full recovery. Physical and occupational therapy can help you regain strength, flexibility and range of motion.

While therapy is a necessary component of recovery, few patients would describe the experience as "enjoyable." That is unless they are patients of Gary Dostalek, ORT/L, CHT, PTA, Director of Occupational and Hand Therapy at the Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Institute (ROI) at Lancaster Community Hospital (LCH).

"We have fun with our patients; humor helps them through their pain. At the end of a therapy session, we might play some music together," says the bluegrass banjo player, who -- after 33 years as a hand therapist -- has learned that a key to successful therapy is having fun with it.

Traditional Treatment
As a certified hand therapist in the Antelope Valley, Mr. Dostalek stays busy. He regularly treats patients with sports injuries; work injuries; fractures; repetitive strain injuries, such as "trigger finger" or tendonitis; and nerve conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients recovering from orthopedic surgeries also can benefit from therapy.

Those with injuries they sustained from continually working at a desk participate in a "back-to-work" program that teaches them how to perform activities safely. They practice correct body postures and hand positions in addition to techniques that help reduce strain when working on a computer.

A BTE work/task simulator can duplicate hundreds of job situations and daily living functions. Machinists and others who were injured performing physical tasks, as well as those who have sports injuries, use this equipment to practice safely performing activities. It tracks how much pressure the patient applies to a task and determines if he or she is at risk for injuries.

Alternative Therapy
In addition to traditional methods of therapy, Mr. Dostalek has found that playing his banjo -- and even letting patients play it -- has helped the recovery process, adding that he believes "Music helps heal the soul."

Mr. Dostalek plays for his patients and lets musicians, or those who are interested, practice finger exercises by strumming on his banjo. His incorporation of musical instruments into therapy has received such positive patient responses that Mr. Dostalek has invited former patients to perform with him at annual holiday parties.

"Over the course of treatment, it's great to see improvements in patients' motor skills," he says. "It's extremely rewarding when patients who were once unable to move their fingers or limbs pick up an instrument and play along."

To find out more about hand therapy services at LCH, please call 661-206-6250.

Lancaster Community Hospital, 43830 N. 10th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 Phone: 661-948-4781