Hand Therapy

Arthritis is caused by inflammation in your joints and can lead to pain, especially in the wrist and fingers. If you suffer from arthritis, a hand therapist will be able to give you exercises to treat the pain and your ability to move your hands again.

Broken elbows are wrists are painful conditions that can be difficult to treat because of their location.

This is pain that stems from the side of the wrist near the pinkie finger. It is usually caused by an injury.

Tennis elbow is inflammation that occurs in the tendons of the elbow. It is usually caused by excessive elbow movement or injury.

If one of your fingers snaps into a bent position and cannot be unbent, you have trigger finger or stenosing tenosynovitis. This is usually caused by repetitive motions of the finger.

These are Interphalangeal joints in the fingers that can become inflamed and painful. The DIP joints are located at the top of the fingers, and the PIP joints are located in the middle of the fingers. When these joints are inflamed, moving them can be painful or impossible.

These are Interphalangeal joints in the fingers that can become inflamed and painful. The DIP joints are located at the top of the fingers, and the PIP joints are located in the middle of the fingers. When these joints are inflamed, moving them can be painful or impossible.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, also called median nerve compression, is nerve pressure that can cause weakness in your hand. You might also feel numbness or a tingling sensation.

Some chronic conditions can cause pain or problems in the arms and hands. These include diabetes, certain neurological conditions, and some autoimmune diseases.

Surgeries can often cause a need for physical therapy to help the patient learn to properly use limbs and joints after they have been replaced or repaired.

A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who, through advanced study and experience, specializes in treating individuals with conditions affecting the hands and upper extremity.

A qualified hand therapist can evaluate and treat any problem related to the upper extremity. The hand therapist can effectively treat and rehabilitate the patient through post-operative rehabilitation, preventative, non-operative or conservative treatment or industry consultation. The therapist works closely with the physician and patient to provide a continuum of care. This often starts within days of the injury or surgery right through the patient’s return to work and/or a productive lifestyle.

A hand therapist may also have advanced certification as a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT).

Physical therapists (PT) have graduated from an accredited Physiotherapy program, passed a national exam and are licensed to practice in the province in which they work. PTs can practice in any specialty area of their professions, such as general rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, head injury, orthopedics, pediatrics, geriatrics or hand therapy.

A CHT is an Occupational Therapist or PT by profession with at least three years of experience, plus 4,000 hours of hand and upper extremity therapy practice (upper extremity rehabilitation). A CHT must have passed a certification examination that demonstrates knowledge of all areas of hand and upper extremity therapy before being granted the right to use the CHT designation. Hand therapists must renew their credential every five years through continued education and participation in hand and upper extremity therapy to continue using the CHT designation.

Hand therapists bridge the gap from medical management of upper extremity conditions to successful recovery, allowing individuals to function normally in their daily lives.

Hand therapists provide non-operative interventions, preventative care and post-surgical rehabilitation for a wide variety of upper extremity disorders, from simple fingertip injuries to complex replanted extremities. Patients with chronic conditions, such as arthritis, or neurologic conditions, such as a stroke, can benefit from hand therapy through education on joint protection and energy conservation, and with recommendations for adaptive equipment or devices to improve function.

A hand therapist employs a variety of techniques and tools, including activity and exercise programs, custom orthosis fabrication, management of pain, swelling, wounds and scar. A hand therapist can also be a consultant in the industrial world, training employees in healthy work habits.

A hand therapist is a great resource in the treatment of hand osteoarthritis. The main goal in hand therapy is to decrease pain and improve hand function. A hand therapist may suggest using heat to decrease joint stiffness and pain. A splint or brace may be used to provide rest and proper positioning to painful joints. A hand therapist will provide instruction in the use of adaptive equipment and also provide a specialized home program to protect the joints, decrease joint stiffness and improve the ability to use the hand.