Hand Therapy

At SPEAR, treatments for the hand and upper extremity are administered by both Certified Hand Therapists (PTs/CHTs) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) that specialize in Hand Therapy. We work with patients to decrease pain and restore function to the upper limb to help you fully participate in all of life’s activities.

Who Can Benefit from Hand Therapy?

Hand Therapy is for anyone experiencing pain in an upper extremity (hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder). Conditions treated include:

• Fractures of the hand, wrist, and elbow
• Post-operative, acute, and chronic injuries
• Tendon and ligament injuries
• Boutonniere’s and Swan Neck deformities
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Neuropathies
• DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis
• Dupuytren’s Contractures
• Ganglion cysts
• Elbow tendonitis
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Trigger Finger
• Wound care

How Does Hand Therapy Work?

We begin Hand Therapy rehab with a complete evaluation using both objective and subjective measurements. Your input plays a significant role in determining your goals for therapy. Where are you experiencing functional deficits? What activities are you missing that you enjoy the most? We will create a personalized treatment plan to address your individual needs and meet your goals.

Specific Hand Therapy treatments may include:

• Hands-on manipulation of joints or soft tissue
• Range of Motion exercises
• Modalities
• Scar massage
• Desensitization
• Strengthening
• Stretching
• Home exercise program
• Post-operative care
• Custom Splints for Healing or Positioning
• Adaptive Equipment Suggestions

How Much Does Hand Therapy Cost?

Hand Therapy is billed through insurance.

Do You Know How a Hand Splint is Made?

Hand Splinting is just one of the many treatment options available depending on your injury. Watch the video below to see the carefully crafted process behind molding a hand splint, specifically to fit your hand.

What is Hand Therapy?

Those who have never heard of hand therapy are certainly not alone. Hand therapy is a specialized form of treatment for patients suffering from issues in the upper limb, from fingers to shoulder and all of the muscles and joints in between. With hand therapy, hand and upper limb health can be restored, improving movement and strength.

Hand therapy is conceptually similar to other forms of physical therapy, however the difference is the focus on the hands, and it can be beneficial in treating fingers, wrist, shoulder, and forearm pain. Both Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physical Therapists (PT) practice hand therapy, and have education in kinesiology, anatomy, and physiology. Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) are Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists who demonstrate advanced proficiency in treatment of the upper limb.

Our hands play a significant role in how we move through everyday life, but it is often not until we are suffering from pain or an injury that we realize how much we rely on our hand and limb mobility and functionality. People who experience disease, injury, or chronic pain often seek this specialized form of physical and occupational therapy to restore better quality of life without turning to invasive surgical procedures and reducing the need for pain medication.

Some of the most common conditions that have been successfully treated and improved with hand therapy include fractures of the hand, wrist, and elbow, arthritis, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel among a range of other pain-inducing issues and injuries.

What kind of hand physical and occupational therapy treatments are provided at Spear?

There are four primary areas that fall within the realm of hand therapy: preventative care, post-operative care, rehabilitation, and splinting. Patients require a different approach depending on their injury or condition.

Preventative care focuses on protecting joints and muscles with the intention of preventing re-injury or worsening symptoms. Preventative therapy includes techniques like strengthening, flexibility and custom splinting interventions. It can also help prevent patients from needing surgery.

Post-operative care serves to facilitate rehabilitation and recovery for people who have undergone surgery. Hand physical therapy will promote healing and can also help reduce swelling and decrease scarring. Patients may also receive protective splinting and wound care as part of their post-operative hand therapy program.

Rehabilitation is a vital component of hand physical therapy, the goal of which is to improve strength, flexibility and mobility. This type of hand therapy is best suited to those recovering from an injury or who need help with sensory re-education and pain management. Adaptive equipment and different types of stretch exercises may be used as part of a rehabilitative hand therapy program.

Hand therapists also specialize in fabricating orthoses (splints) to ensure optimal fit to project the injury or surgery, and promote healing. Splints are used for protection after surgery (post-operative), for conservative management for injury or arthritis, to improve mobility, and to improve contractures.

At Spear, patients will receive a custom approach to hand physical therapy. Certified hand therapists and occupational therapists employ a wide range of treatments, including hands-on manipulation of joints or soft tissue, exercises to improve range of motion, scar massage, strengthening, and stretching. Many patients will also be given a home exercise program to continue working towards hand therapy goals between hand therapy sessions.

When is hand therapy recommended?

Hand therapy is ideal for any patient who is experiencing pain in the upper limb, including the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. For people whose pain keeps them performing simple tasks and feel a disruption to daily life or suffer from upper extremity disorders, physical and occupational therapy can make a positive impact.

The aim of hand physical therapy is to help patients function in everyday life, completing daily tasks with less pain, or rehabilitating the impairment or injury to reduce pain and increase mobility. For example, people who are experiencing issues using cell phones or typing on computer keyboards, hand therapy can offer ways to perform these simple activities while managing symptoms or minimizing pain.

There are a number of conditions that lend themselves to treatment by way of hand therapy. While some people seek the help of a hand therapist to help with chronic pain caused by arthritis, others rely on hand therapy to help them recover from a recent surgery, trauma, or injury.

Pain in the upper limb can dramatically impede a person’s quality of life. While hand therapy is not necessarily a cure-all, certified hand therapists and occupational therapists can help improve hand function by building muscle and increasing hand strength. Hand therapy is the perfect choice for anyone who seeks pain relief or rehabilitation in the hand and upper extremity.

What does a hand therapy treatment include?

Hand therapy treatment varies from patient to patient, depending on the issue or ailment. The first hand physical therapy session for each patient will include an assessment in which a certified hand therapist or occupational therapist will evaluate the situation and create an individualized treatment plan.

Every subsequent session will involve a combination of treatment methods best suited to helping patients achieve their goals for therapy. In the same way that working muscles at the gym may lead to some tenderness or soreness after the fact, exercising muscles in physical therapy may do the same. With each session, patients can anticipate taking a step closer to achieving their recovery goals.

Patients will also be provided with education regarding their recovery, overall health, and how to avoid the repetitive motions that may lead to reinjury or worsening symptoms. Hand therapists will often offer tips to help improve posture and ergonomics throughout daily life.