Hand Therapy

What is Hand Therapy?

Hand therapy provides comprehensive evaluations and therapy of the hand and arm, which is performed by an occupational therapist with a high degree of specialized education. We focus on each patient’s specific needs with treatments that include restoring range of motion, edema control, scar management, custom splinting, work hardening, activities of daily living program, and more. Hand therapy allows for the return to a productive lifestyle in a shorter period of time.

Occupational therapy is completed according to your doctor’s orders. Patients are seen two to three times a week depending on the diagnoses and severity. A physician order is required for hand therapy. The physician office or even the patient can call our office to make an appointment.

Who benefits from Hand Therapy?

Anyone who has had an accident, trauma, or loss of function in the hand will benefit from hand therapy. Therapy plays a significant role in treatment of conditions such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, golfer’s and tennis elbow, and many other repetitive stress disorders.

Our experienced therapists regularly help patients in areas such as:

• Peripheral nerve injuries
• Ergonomics
• Work hardening/conditioning
• Applied kinesiology (a form of muscle energy techniques)
• Neuromuscular re-education
• Laser therapy
• Ultrasound/electric stimulation
• Sensory integration with children and adolescents
• Functional capacity evaluations

Hand Therapy provides:

• Preventative, non-operative, or conservative treatments
• Management of pain
• Desensitization and sensory re-education after a nerve injury or trauma
• Management of post-operative wounds for prevention of infection and assistance in healing
• Swelling reduction
• Management of scars (hypersensitive/raised or swollen)
• Custom splint fabrication
  • Specialized materials are used to custom-fabricate splints for the hand, wrist, and elbow. Splints assist with prevention or correction of an injury as well as post-operative conditions. The therapist guides patients in splint wear and care, according to physician recommendations.
• Compensatory technique training for completion of daily living skills after hand injury
• Work conditioning prior to return to full duty after injury