The Art and Science of Healing Hands
Our hands aren’t very big, but they have a lot of complex components that require care and attention. Hand therapy offers our patients many benefits. Hand Therapists evaluate and treat injuries and conditions associated with our upper extremity (shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand).
A Certified Hand Therapist uses a wide range of techniques and exercises to help patients who suffer from injury, chronic hand pain or loss of sensation (feeling). With the right course of treatment, patients can restore lost muscle strength, get relief from pain, regain nerve function, help manage scars, or even eliminate the need for corrective surgery.
Candidates for hand therapy include people who suffer from conditions, such as Arthritis, Tennis Elbow, Carpal Tunnel (median nerve entrapment), tendonitis, or Cubital Tunnel (ulnar nerve entrapment). You are also a candidate for therapy if you have suffered a hand injury such as burns, fractures, damaged tendons & nerves, or amputations.
How Does Hand Therapy Work?
Hand therapy is commonly practiced in a few distinct ways. First, it can be used as a rehabilitation tool, assisting patients after a medical procedure, such as surgery or a traumatic injury. Hand therapy is also a great preventative care tool, correcting problems before surgery becomes necessary. Hand therapy can also help relieve the symptoms of chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis.
In all instances, a hand therapist uses a variety of techniques, including custom orthotic fabrications and targeted specific exercises. These techniques are designed to strengthen muscles, reduce swelling, protect joints and restore range of motion. Hand therapists also consult their patients on healthy habits and exercises they can do at home to further their care.
What Does it Take to Be a Hand Therapist?
A Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) must have at least three years of clinical experience, including 4,000 hours of direct practice in hand therapy. They must also pass a strict certification exam to prove their competency and receive continuing education yearly to keep their certification. Our therapist, Donna Hart Goodson OTR/L, CHT has had over 30 years of experience in providing Hand Therapy to people just like you!
Let Us Give You a Hand with Your Chronic Pain
Do you struggle with pain that you just can’t get to stop or maybe even chronic hand pain that is keeping you from enjoying life? Maybe you have experienced an occasional tingling or loss of feeling in your hand? If you do, we can help. We can assess your pain and get to the bottom of what’s causing it. And with the assistance of our highly trained CHT, we will help you restore function and get you to start feeling better. We look forward to helping you at our Cape Girardeau clinic. Keep in mind that we have three convenient locations across southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Advance) to serve your Physical Therapy needs.
Allow Premier Physical Therapy to give you a hand. Get your FREE injury screening.