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Hand therapy is all about working together to restore your upper limbs to their full strength. Whether it’s pain from an injury or overuse, we’ll help you get back to a pain-free life. Through personalized exercises and stretches, we build your strength and range of motion, preventing further injury along the way. Whether it’s arthritis, carpal tunnel, or a sports injury, we are here to guide you. We work with you so you can heal and return to your active self.
While there are many causes of these issues, some of the most common are:
Several different conditions can affect the hand and upper extremity. Common issues include:
There are also underlying conditions that can contribute to hand pain. These include:
The symptoms associated with common hand issues can vary depending on the condition’s root cause. For example, if you suffer from arthritis in your hand and wrist, you may experience pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in the joints.
A nerve compression condition, like carpal tunnel syndrome, can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand and fingers. Injury or inflammation in the tendons of the wrist and hand may cause pain with specific movements.
It is important to treat hand or wrist pain early to avoid worsening the pain and symptoms. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms for two weeks without improvement, contact your physical therapist. You don’t need a referral to be seen—with Direct Access, you can call today to make an appointment to have your hand or wrist pain evaluated.
Your first hand and wrist physical therapy appointment will include an initial evaluation to assess your functional status. After reviewing your medical history, your physical therapist will conduct a physical examination and functional screening. During the physical examination, your physical therapist will examine your posture, range of motion, strength, and tissue tenderness. Your pain levels will be monitored throughout to ensure your comfort.
During the functional screening, you will be asked to perform various tasks, such as grasping and manipulating objects. After the evaluation, your physical therapist will use the information gathered to develop a personalized treatment plan. This plan will include hand therapy exercises to be performed within the clinic and a home exercise program. Your physical therapist may also prescribe manual therapy, where they will use their hands to manipulate your joints and soft tissues to facilitate healing.
If your physical therapist determines that further diagnostic testing is needed, they may refer you to your doctor after the initial evaluation. Diagnostic imaging may be an X-ray, an MRI, or an ultrasound. Other testing can include nerve conduction testing (NCT) or electromyography (EMG) to assess nerve function.
Talk to your physical therapist about your hand and wrist treatment options. They can assess your functional status and discuss the possibilities with you so you can make an informed decision.
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If you are considering surgical treatment for your hand and wrist pain, talk to your physical therapist. They can provide additional conservative treatment options to address your pain and functional limitations without surgery.
Despite the best conservative efforts, there may be times when surgical intervention is indicated. This may include severe, persistent pain or considerable functional limitation significantly affecting daily function. Due to the complex nature of the hand and wrist structures, surgery in this region is very delicate and requires the utmost precision. Your physical therapist can help direct you to an experienced hand surgery specialist.
Hand and wrist surgical procedures may include:
There are several non-surgical treatment options for your hand or wrist condition. Hand and wrist physical therapy is an effective, conservative treatment focused on restoring function in the upper extremity and improving participation in daily life activities. Your physical therapist will design an individualized treatment plan including hand and wrist physical therapy exercises, manual treatment techniques, and patient education strategies to optimize healing and quality of life improvements.
Activity modification involves adjusting how you participate in your daily life and work tasks to minimize pain and discomfort. The goal is to maximize your participation while maintaining your comfort. Your physical therapist can assess your functional status and discuss potential modifications. They may recommend adjusting your activity’s intensity or duration, as well as your position or posture while performing the activity.
Your physical therapist can also discuss bracing or taping options to help you remain active while minimizing discomfort. A wide variety of braces can be used to support and protect your hand and wrist during activity. Your physical therapist may also use taping techniques with either rigid tape for greater support or elastic tape (kinesiotape) for moderate support while allowing for some movement.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications may be useful in conjunction with your physical therapy treatment plan to address hand and wrist pain. Other medications, like corticosteroid injections, are also sometimes used alongside physical therapy. If appropriate, your physical therapist will refer you to your physician to discuss medication options.
Your hands and wrists perform many different functions throughout your day, so keeping them pain-free and healthy is important. Here are a few tips to prevent hand pain or injury:
Coping with hand pain can be difficult, but your physical therapist can help you find effective strategies to deal with your hand or wrist condition. In addition to physical therapy, they may recommend additional rest, heat or ice therapy, and bracing or taping. Your physical therapist can also help you make activity modifications to stay engaged in the activities you love while minimizing discomfort.
Despite these strategies, sometimes flare-ups happen. If your hand or wrist pain flares up, focus on rest, stress management, and gentle movement. Your physical therapist is an excellent resource to help you through potential flare-ups. Talk to them about your symptoms and what you can do to manage them.
Everyone experiences hand and wrist pain differently. Because of this, a personalized treatment plan is necessary for success in hand physical therapy. Your physical therapist will work with you to develop a treatment strategy tailored to your needs. As you work together, they will regularly reassess your progress to ensure your goals are being met.
Call Confluent Health to book your consultation with one of our experienced hand therapists. Their professional guidance and support are available to you without a referral from your physician—with Direct Access, you can call and make your appointment today.
Almost 30% of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders worldwide are associated with the upper extremity, which includes the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand.2 Physical therapy can effectively address hand and wrist pain with a combination of exercise, manual techniques, and patient education. Your physical therapist will work with you to develop an individualized treatment plan that meets your needs and goals.
Your initial evaluation will consist of a physical examination and a functional assessment, followed by a detailed explanation of your personalized treatment plan. Your progress will be monitored as you work with your physical therapist to ensure you reach your goals.
The therapeutic alliance, or the partnership between you and your physical therapist, is crucial to your success at physical therapy. A strong partnership will result in open communication between you and your therapist to ensure your therapy goals are being met. You must take an active role in your rehabilitation to optimize your treatment plan. Your physical therapist is responsible for guiding, encouraging, and empowering you to take control of your health and well-being. Together, you will troubleshoot any obstacles along the way and celebrate your successes.
Success in hand therapy results in pain reduction, improved range of motion and strength, and restoration of hand function. This leads to better performance in daily activities, increased task independence, and improved quality of life. Hand and wrist physical therapy sessions are focused on getting you back to the activities you love.
If you have hand or wrist pain concerns, find a clinic near you with one of Confluent Health’s partner locations to schedule an appointment with an experienced hand therapist. With Direct Access, you don’t need a physician referral to start physical therapy for hand or wrist conditions.
Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) have a minimum of five years of advanced clinical skills and therapy, including over 4,000 hours in hand therapy practice, and have passed a comprehensive test in advanced clinical skills.
Fractures, sports injuries, tendinitis, arthritis, tendon & nerve injuries, and numerous other hand conditions.
Hand therapy uses exercises, hands-on techniques, and patient education to address pain and dysfunction in the hand and wrist. The goals of each session are to decrease pain and improve function to help you return to the activities you love.
Hand therapy can treat a wide variety of conditions affecting the hand and wrist, including injuries to soft tissue or nerves, arthritis, and post-surgical rehabilitation. Hand therapy can also address conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and trigger finger.
Hand therapy treatment sessions usually take 30–60 minutes. Depending on the severity of your injury, hand rehabilitation may take 6 months to a year to see significant restoration of function. Talk with your physical therapist about your prognosis and any potential concerns.