What is hand therapy?
Hand Therapy is a type of rehabilitation performed by an occupational or physical/physio-therapist on patients with conditions affecting the hands and/or upper extremities. A Certified Hand therapist is an individual who has achieved an advanced level of specialization in hand therapy.
Hand therapy benefits patients post surgery, people with repetitive strain injuries, sports related injuries and home and workplace injuries. Individuals who suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions impacting the hand and upper extremity can also be helped.
Who is a Certified Hand Therapist?
A Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who has a minimum of five years of clinical experience, including 4,000 hours or more in direct practice in hand therapy. In addition, the Certified Hand Therapist has successfully passed a comprehensive test of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper quarter rehabilitation. Because of changes in the profession, every CHT is required to demonstrate continued professional development and competency by recertifying every five years.
Hand Therapy Services
A range of hand therapy treatments and services are provided. Specific services include, but are not limited to:
- Comprehensive assessment and assistance with diagnosis of hand and arm pain and injuries.
- Custom made splints for protection post surgery or fracture.
- Splint fabrication and fit, for prevention or correction of injuries or contractures.
- Fitting of compressions garments following hand trauma and burns.
- Joint mobilisation.
- Neural mobilisation.
- Pain and oedema (swelling) management.
- Strengthening and rehabilitation programmes.
- Ergonomic and activity modification in home, work, school or leisure
Joint protection instruction. - Manual therapy which includes soft tissue mobilisation and scar massage.
- Modalities such as Ultrasound.
- Patient education.
- Scar Management.
- Taping techniques.
- Training in ADL’s/adaptive/assistive devices.
- Wound care.
- Preventative, Non-operative or conservative treatment.
- Management of acute or chronic pain.
- Sensory re-education and desensitization after nerve injury.
- Design and implementation of home exercise programs.
- Guidance to family members and caregivers with respect to injuries and rehabilitation and ways to assist their family.
Treatable conditions
Below is a list of the conditions that are treated:
Acute/Traumatic injuries of the upper extremity
- Crush injuries/mutilating trauma.
- Dislocations and subluxations.
- Fractures of the wrist, hand, elbow and shoulder.
- Finger fractures, dislocations and strains/sprains.
Soft tissue and nerve injuries/conditions:
- Cumulative trauma disorders/Peripheral nerve injuries.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- Cubital tunnel syndrome.
- Oedema.
- Dupuytren’s disease.
- Ligamentous injury and instability.
- Muscular strains, tears, and avulsions.
- Nerve injuries and conditions.
- Pain (e.g. complex regional pain syndrome).
- Tendon injuries and conditions.
- Burn injuries and pressure garments.
- Wounds and scars.
- Tennis Elbow (lateral epicondylitis).
- Golfers Elbow (medial epicondylitis).
- DeQuervains Tenosynovitis.
- Trigger fingers (conservative and post surgery).
- Rotator cuff pathology.
- Impingement syndromes.
Congenital anomalies/differences
Arthritis
- Rheumatoid
- Osteoarthritis
Intervention and rehabilitation after surgery is sometimes required for the following:
- Joint replacements.
- Dupuytren’s Contracture release.
- Finger fractures (pinning), dislocations.
- Wrist fractures.
- Wrist and ligament surgeries.
- Tendon repairs – splinting and exercise programs.
- Trigger finger release.
- Traumatic hand injuries such as amputations/lacerations.
- Scar management.
- Nerve lacerations post surgical repair – splints, sensory re-education and desensitisation.
- Carpal Tunnel release.
- Cubital Tunnel release
More…
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