Mobile phone app to help Derbyshire patients with hand injuries

The innovative programme uses training videos to demonstrate a range of exercises aimed at rehabilitating hand, wrist, shoulder and elbow injuries.

The app – which is the first of its kind – was thought up by Laura Parker, pictutred, senior physiotherapist at the Royal Derby Hospital’s Pulvertaft Hand Unit.

Laura worked on the app – called CORE Hand - in her spare time, filming and editing the training videos, writing the text and designing the look of

the programme. After gaining support from a Derby software developer,

she oversaw the development of a prototype and now hopes to release the finished app in the next few months.

Laura said: “Currently we use a set of paper handouts but these can prove confusing for some patients.

“There are more than 170 videos on the app, each one a different exercise,

which is much more instinctive for patients. The app can be used on their phones, so they will have it with them when they need it.”

Once a program is set by a hand therapist the patients can select their individualised program via clear menus and then view a series of videos,

talking them through exercises which will aid their rehabilitation.

The software can also be set to sound alarms when exercises should be performed and offers simple, clear explanations about numerous conditions.

She said: “It will be free to patients, but they will only be able to access it through the Derby Hand Therapy Team, who can provide them with a

password.

“At the moment it is only for Apple devices but we are looking at expanding it

across other platforms.”