During a day of riding ATVs with friends, Nathan was involved in an accident where he became lodged between the vehicle’s rollbar and the ground crushing his arm. The incident led to compartment syndrome and required an emergency fasciotomy. Nathan spent two months on a wound vac, before doctors could perform a skin graft, and refer him to occupational therapy.
A family member of Nathan’s referred him to Indiana Physical Therapy where he met Lori Snodgrass, OTR, CHT. During Nathan’s evaluation, Snodgrass noted his excessive swelling and stiffness and decided to recommend Thuasne USA’s Vector 2 Hand CPM. Within ten days of placing the order with the Thuasne USA team, Snodgrass and Nathan received the device and began treatment.
After the first initial weeks of use, Nathan said improvements resulting from the Vector 2 changed his outlook on recovery. “It gave me hope and allowed me to plan for the future in ways I wasn’t able to before.” Before his treatment, Nathan had trouble doing very routine activities like pulling up his pants, brushing his teeth, and washing his left arm. After a few weeks of using the Vector 2, he can do all that and more, including using his right arm to wash his hair and open a door.
“The Vector 2 has really changed my mental outlook on things and given me hope for the future,” Nathan added. “I feel like things are finally going to be okay now that I’m in it and using it.”
Snodgrass is impressed with the results and can’t wait to see what the future holds for her patient.
“We have only just begun! It’s so exciting to see in one month what Nathan is doing with compliance with his exercises and coming consistently to his OT using the Vector 2” Snodgrass said. “We are excited to transition to the next device, the WHFO, which will allow us to add in his wrist motion components.”
Snodgrass has been an occupational therapist since 1999 and has been with Indiana Physical Therapy for 11 years as a certified hand therapist.
