Rebuilding Independence Through Hand Therapy

During Hand Therapy Week, we celebrate the skilled therapists who help restore strength, movement and independence, while empowering patients to get back to the moments and activities that matter most.

Our hands connect us to daily life, such as cleaning dishes, shaking a hand, writing a note or using a fork to eat. We use our hands to explore, engage and connect with our surroundings.

Our hands are quite complex, containing more than 30 joints, 27 bones and controlled by more than 34 muscles. They can be gentle or strong because different parts like muscles, tendons and joints work together. Hands perform complex tasks like clasping a necklace to simple tasks such as gripping a heavy suitcase. It is this complexity, as well as other reasons that the hand and wrist are difficult to replicate in prosthetic and robotic designs.

How can daily life affect your hand health?

Since we use our hands thousands of times per day, the health of our tissues may be affected. Some common contributors to hand pain may include:

• Using smaller joints too much, like your thumb, instead of using bigger joints, like your elbow and shoulder
• Poor posture, and weakness of the shoulder and core muscles
• Prolonged phone, computer or game controller use
• Repetitive or prolonged grasping
• Using your hand as a tool, such as hitting the palm against the bottom of a jar to pop it open

Common hand conditions include arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon pain, trigger finger, and fractures or dislocations, which may sometimes require surgery for the hand, wrist or elbow.

What skills do hand therapists have?

Everyone heals differently, so your treatment plan is tailored to match your needs and goals. Hand therapists are skilled in a variety of interventions that include:

• Daily activity and movement training — teaching you how to use your arm and hand safely for everyday tasks, such as getting dressed, cooking and working
• Exercises designed for the unique needs of the arm and hand
• Manual techniques like stretching, massage and scar mobilization
• Scar and wound management
• Splinting, which is the molding of custom braces to protect, rest or stretch the upper extremity
• Treatments such as ultrasound, paraffin bath (warm wax treatment used to help relieve pain and stiffness in the hands), fluidotherapy (dry heat treatment that uses warm air and tiny particles, like very fine sand, to gently surround and warm your hand) and electrical stimulation (small, controlled electrical pulses to help muscles and nerves work better)

What training is needed to be a certified hand therapist?

Certified hand therapists (CHT) are occupational therapists or physical therapists who have an advanced certification in treating the upper extremity, which includes the shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand and fingers. They treat a wide variety of upper extremity conditions and injuries and have thousands of hours of experience in helping individuals recover their hand or arm function.

When should you see a hand therapist?

If you are experiencing pain, stiffness, swelling or loss of function in your arm, you may notice that it is becoming more difficult to perform your normal daily activities. It may be time to consult with a professional if you are recognizing that your hands are affecting your quality of life. Your provider can refer you to rehabilitation for an evaluation to determine if hand therapy is right for you.

Visit UFHealthJax.org/conditions-and-treatments/hand-therapy for more information or to schedule an appointment.

About the author

Taylor Simpson is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, followed by a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of St. Augustine. She works at UF Health Rehabilitation – Jacksonville and is the rehabilitation clinical specialist for hand therapy. In her role, she treats patients with a wide variety of upper extremity conditions and injuries, while also supporting many initiatives in the orthopaedic and rehabilitation departments. She works closely with hand surgeons to ensure a seamless and well-rounded transition of care for orthopaedic patients.