Hand Therapy

What is hand therapy?

Hand Therapy is a rehabilitation technique recommended to improve the strength and restore the functional activity of hands in patients with upper extremity injuries. Hand therapy also helps in preventing the injury.

Hand therapy, based on the rehabilitation program or preventive therapy, will be initiated within a few days of the injury or surgery and continued until the patient restores to normal activities.

Rehabilitative hand therapy aims at minimizing swelling and managing sensitive scars whereas preventive therapy is recommended for minimizing pain, decreasing repetitive firing of sensual impulses in injured nerve, improving motion and strength, preventing or correcting injury using specially designed splints, teaching to cope with pain and new techniques for performing regular activities and ensuring complete recovery.

Hand therapists also help in modifying the work stations and developing appropriate training programs to minimize injuries at workplaces.

Indications for hand therapy

Hand therapy is recommended in various conditions:

Trauma: Accidents or trauma, burns, injured tendons or nerves, fractures, and amputations of fingers, hands or arms.

Sports injuries: Carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow

Disease conditions: Arthritis, and neurological conditions (stroke)

Hand therapist's services can be availed in different settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centres, private clinics, sports medicine centres, and industrial medicine centres.

Click on the topics below to find out more from the orthopaedic connection website of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.