Top Benefits of Seeing a Specialist for Hand Therapy

If you have recently suffered a hand injury and are experiencing pain or discomfort, it might be a good idea to see a certified hand therapist. In this blog, Back In Motion Health tells you everything you need to know about hand therapy and how it can help you recover from a painful hand condition. 

What is Hand Therapy?

Before starting hand therapy, it is important to understand what it entails. This specialized form of physical therapy focuses specifically on the treatment of painful hand conditions, through techniques such as exercises and splinting. In addition, hand therapy can also be used for the rehabilitation of hand injuries. The aim of hand therapy is to help patients achieve a better quality of life by alleviating pain and helping them regain hand function.

What Is a Certified Hand Therapist? 

A physical therapist can become a certified hand therapist by following and completing specialized training in the treatment of hand conditions. This training involves expertise in areas such as hand anatomy and biomechanics. As such, a certified hand therapist is trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of painful hand conditions through personalized treatment plans and rehabilitation techniques.

What Does Hand Therapy Treat?

A certified hand therapist can treat a wide range of hand injuries or conditions, including the following:

• Fractured or broken bones in the hand and wrist
• Dislocated joints
• Tendinitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Hand arthritis 
• Soft tissue injuries of the hand, including sprains, strains, and muscle tears
• Rehabilitation following a hand surgery

How You Can Benefit from Choosing a Certified Hand Therapist

If you suffer from a painful hand injury or condition, a certified hand therapist can help you in many ways:

• Improvement of hand function – Through personalized treatment plans tailored to your specific needs and condition, hand therapy can help you regain strength and flexibility in your injured hand. In turn, this will enhance your independence of movement and allow you to easily perform daily tasks by yourself.

• Pain alleviation – In order to reduce the pain and inflammation in your hand, your therapist will recommend several targeted exercises. They may also use splinting techniques if needed to reduce the inflammation and improve your hand function. To further support your healing journey, your therapist can also educate you on pain management techniques that you can put into practice in your daily life. These self-management techniques will also help you manage your pain in between therapy sessions.

• Reducing the need for surgery – Through the improvement of hand function and the alleviation of pain and inflammation, hand therapy can often help you avoid having to undergo invasive surgery. Your certified hand therapist will only recommend surgery if your condition is too complex or severe to be treated solely through therapy.

• Prevention of future injury – Hand therapy also consists of preventive care. Not only will your hand therapist treat your current condition, but they will also devise a treatment plan with the aim of preventing the occurrence of further injuries down the line.

Consult a Certified Hand Therapist Today

Back in Motion Health provides a wide range of services for the treatment of different conditions, including physiotherapy, kinesiology and massage therapy. We also cater to ICBC patients. Are you ready to get treatment for your hand condition? Book an appointment with us online to get started at one of our clinics in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Richmond and Surrey-Newton.

Paramjot Dhillon earned her Master’s in Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal) from Punjabi University, India, in 2009 and has over 11 years of experience in clinical practice and teaching. She was an Associate Professor at Christian Medical College and Hospital, India, and has published nine research articles in reputable journals.

Paramjot is certified in Functional Dry Needling Level 1 and Pelvic Health Level 1. She has also completed advanced courses in Mulligan Manual Therapy, sports-related concussion management, vestibular rehabilitation, and the evaluation and treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain.

Book online with Paramjot Dhillon in Coquitlam!