Hand Therapy

Hand therapy is a specialized area of rehabilitation focused on the assessment and treatment of conditions affecting the hands, wrists, and upper extremities. Hand therapists are typically occupational therapists or physical therapists who have received additional training and certification in hand therapy. Hand therapy is often utilized to rehabilitate injuries such as fractures, dislocations, tendon injuries (e.g., flexor or extensor tendon injuries), nerve injuries (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome), and ligament injuries (e.g., skier’s thumb).After surgery on the hands or upper extremities, such as hand tendon repairs, nerve repairs, joint replacements (e.g., wrist or finger arthroplasty), or soft tissue reconstructions, hand therapy can help optimize recovery and regain function.Hand therapy can assist individuals with arthritis in managing pain, improving joint mobility, and maintaining or improving hand function through therapeutic exercises, splinting, and adaptive equipment recommendations. Hand therapists can provide education on ergonomic principles, activity modification, and therapeutic exercises to manage and prevent RSIs such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.