A new approach in muscle training to rehabilitate the hand in leprosy

Rehabilitation of the hand in Leprosy with its deformities and anaesthesia no doubt poses a formidable challenge as far as rehabilitation is concerned. Here we have applied a combination of latest concepts in sports physiology and the exercise followed by the students of ancient Indian martial art known as Krishni Vidya. This exercise consists of crumpling a newspaper sheet with a single hand without any external support. We are unable to explain the type of exercise done by the people before existence of newspaper. They might be using naturally occurring materials for the same like woodbark. With this exercise we have been able to improve the function of the hand remarkably well and the rehabilitation time following surgery is drastically reduced, with function returning close to normalcy. The full function is achieved within four weeks from the date of removal of plaster as compared to eight to ten weeks or more with conventional physical therapy. This full function is not only in mobility but also in co-ordination, static and dynamic strength, speed of movement and flexibility required of a normal hand. 16 patients operated for lumbrical replacement (using sublimis as a motor from the long finger) at the Dr. Bandorawalla Leprosy Hospital were put under the paper crumpling exercise. It was observed that the average time for the achievement of fully close fist was two weeks. (All of them had thumb function intact, i.e. either normal or operated-out of sixteen, four patients were operated for opponens prior to lumbrical replacement).