1. Which structures need treatment?
Flexor tendons help bend the fingers. A cut or other injury can affect a tendon together with nearby nerves, blood vessels, or other tissues. Tell the clinician about the injury and any loss of feeling or movement. Ask which structures are injured and which will be addressed. A wound that looks small on the skin can involve deeper tissue. Prompt assessment matters; do not repeatedly test gripping strength to see whether the tendon is intact. The treatment discussion should explain the injury as a whole.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries
2. What does the proposed repair aim to restore?
Ask what can be repaired directly and whether another procedure might be needed because of the injury's location, timing, or tissue condition. Discuss the expected benefit and the possibility that normal motion may not fully return. Bring the activities that require fine control or strong grip into the conversation. A technical description of the repair is useful only if you understand how it relates to those goals. Ask which uncertainties can be clarified before surgery and which may remain until the surgeon examines the injury.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries
3. Who will connect the operation to hand therapy?
Confirm who will provide the therapy referral and when the first visit should occur according to the surgical plan. The therapist needs the relevant details of the repair and any associated nerve or other injury. Ask how those instructions will reach the receiving clinician. If travel, insurance authorization, or scheduling may delay attendance, raise that issue before surgery when possible. Rehabilitation should not begin with the therapist guessing which tissue was repaired. Keep the contact details for both teams available in case instructions appear inconsistent.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries · Hand Therapy
4. How will movement be balanced with protection?
Controlled movement and protection must be tailored to the repair. Too much load can threaten it, while the recovery plan also needs to address stiffness and tendon movement. Ask the surgeon and therapist to explain the purpose of the prescribed protocol in plain language. This is not a situation for copying exercises from another patient's video. Demonstrate what you have been taught and ask how the team will check your technique. Changes in motion or loading should follow the treating team's assessment, not an independent test of strength.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries · Hand Therapy
5. What are the rules for the orthosis?
Ask how the protective device should be worn, what to do for cleaning, and which changes require help with the fit. Mention pressure, skin concerns, swelling, or any difficulty keeping the device in the prescribed position. If your hand changes size during recovery, a previously comfortable fit may need reassessment. Do not modify the device yourself unless the team specifically teaches you how. Write the instructions down and make sure any caregiver understands them. A workable protection plan should account for the ordinary details of home life.
Sources: Hand Therapy
6. Which daily tasks require help?
Think through dressing, food preparation, toileting, medications, transport, and caring for others. A light object can still require a grip that is restricted after repair. Ask about the tasks you actually perform rather than asking only when you can use the hand. If the injured side is dominant, arrange help before the first difficult day at home. Discuss work duties in the same concrete way. A written task list allows the team to identify what can be adapted and what should wait.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries · Hand Therapy
7. Which changes should be reported promptly?
Ask for the specific symptoms that require a call and the route to use outside office hours. Report a sudden loss of movement or a concerning change after an unexpected pull or load; do not repeatedly retest the finger. Ask how to handle wound concerns, a damaged orthosis, or a missed therapy appointment. The team can then decide whether the plan needs urgent reassessment. Knowing whom to contact is part of protecting the repair, especially when the problem occurs between scheduled visits.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries · Hand Therapy
8. How will we judge progress and address a plateau?
Ask which motion and functional measures will be followed and how the goals change through recovery. If movement remains limited, the team should explain the possible reasons and the next assessment. More force is not automatically the answer. Bring examples of what has improved and what still prevents useful hand use. Discuss the possibility of additional treatment only in the context of healing and the actual limitation. A shared record of restrictions and progress helps the surgeon, therapist, and patient make the next decision together.
Sources: Flexor Tendon Injuries · Hand Therapy
Make the most of your visit
Questions to bring to your consultation
Choose the questions that matter most to you. Bring them along, and ask us to explain anything that is unclear.
- Which tendons and other structures are injured?
- What functional result is realistic for this injury?
- Who sends the repair details to my hand therapist?
- What is the purpose of my movement and protection protocol?
- What should I do if the orthosis no longer fits?
- Which everyday tasks need help or temporary changes?
- What change should make me call immediately?
- How will we review limited progress without risking the repair?
Sources & further reading
- Flexor Tendon InjuriesAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS OrthoInfo)
- Hand TherapyAmerican Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH / The Hand Society)
We use these medical sources to help explain your options and prepare you for a conversation with our team. Our guides feature our own clinicians; patient reviews describe individual experiences.
