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Home > Blog > Hand Therapy & Customized Splinting
hand therapy
Hand therapy is a specialty practice area under the allied health occupational therapy group. They are mainly concerned with treating orthopedic-based upper extremities
- elbows
- forearms
- wrists
- palms
- fingers
- thumbs
(skin, bones, joints, muscles, nerves etc) to optimize the functional and mobility use of the upper extremity. We address biomechanical issues underlying any hand and upper limb issues.
As primarily occupational therapists, the hand occupational therapist often uses an occupation-based and client centred approach to hand rehabilitation by identifying the needs of the clients, and then tailoring interventions to improve performance in their preferred activities and tasks - it can be wanting to drive again, using the mouse, cutting foods, open a can of Coke etc.
Common painful finger, hand, wrist, forearm and elbow conditions that we treat includes fractures in the bones of the arm or hand, sprains and strains of the ligaments in the joints and connective tissues, lacerations, cuts, amputations, burns and surgical repairs of tendons and nerves of the hand and arm.
Examples of hand conditions our senior hand therapist treat:
- Fractures of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, hand and fingers
- Dislocations of the fingers, thumbs, wrists, elbows
- Wrist sprains, thumb sprains and other ligamentous tears
- Nerve compressions and injuries (e.g. ganglion removal or radial nerve palsy)
- Repetitive strain injuries (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome, de Quervain's tenosynovitis, trigger finger, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow etc)
- Burns
- Tumours
- Golf-related wrist injuries
- Tendon injuries and repairs
- Finger amputations
- Osteoarthritis
- Sports injuries to the hand
- etc
If patient doesn't need surgery (yet) ie conservative/non-surgical, then our senior hand therapist will focus on non-surgical hand therapy interventions such as:
- pain relief/management
- strengthening/stamina building exercises
- return to normal function and movement
If patient already had surgery (considered as post-surgical), our senior hand therapist will work/support the treating surgeon and focus on:
- decreasing post-surgical pains
- managing wounds/stitches
- restoring movements (when medically allowed)
- hand therapy program to improve strength, stamina and coordination
Some of our hand therapists' treatment includes:
Our senior hand therapists will use a number of hand therapy interventions and approaches to improve the patient's hand function, movement and pain
- Joint mobilization
- Pain relief/management
- Hot therapy / cold therapy
- Hand and finger exercises
- Ultrasound therapy to accelerate soft tissue healing
- Tendon gliding exercises
- Scar management
- Sensory re-education (especially with scarring and post-amputation)
- Customized thermoplasting splinting
- Ergonomics: Decreasing Injuries At The Workplace
- Home exercises
- Wound care therapy (orthopedic)
- Removal of stitches (orthopedic)