Hand Therapy

Introduction

Treatment

At your initial evaluation, your therapist will examine your hand and take measurements.  Your hand and finger strength, coordination, and sensation will be tested.  The therapist will measure how far you can move your joints.  He or she will look at your hand for any sores, deformities, or swelling. 

Hand therapy treatments vary and depend on the type of condition you have, the extent of your condition, and your goals.  It is common for therapy to include hand exercises, splinting, and modalities.  You may need to wear hand splints while your hand is at rest, during work, or both.  Hand splints can help your hand heal, reduce pain, and improve function.  Modalities are treatments that can help relieve pain and promote movement.  These include heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and others.  Additionally, hand therapy can include wound healing treatments and burn debridement.  Your therapists can suggest adaptive devices, such as eating or writing utensils, to improve your functional independence.

In industrial settings, hand therapists perform workplace evaluations for injury prevention.  Hand therapists can recommend alternative work methods or work station changes to prevent injuries and cumulative trauma disorders.  They can also help an individual with a hand injury return to work by making workplace modifications.