Find a local hand therapist near you

Hand therapy services include all the tasks and activities necessary to restore mobility to your upper extremities. In cases where it’s not possible to restore 100% mobility, your hand therapist can work with you to set your personal mobility goals and achieve them.  

The service is also a form of post-operative care and can include helping you manage any recent or long-lasting pain you experience. Your hand therapist can help you exercise and strengthen any affected extremities to prevent the onset of oedema and as part of achieving your mobility goals.  

Assessing your condition & setting goals

Your Tasker begins the service by evaluating your ailments or injuries and how they affect your mobility. They can assess the current level of mobility of your hands, shoulders, wrists, fingers, forearms and elbows. 

Your hand therapist also takes note of all your injuries and the level of pain they may cause. They consult you as to how much more mobile you want to become, set these as goals, then draw up a plan to achieve your mobility goals. 

Oedema control

As you have less mobility in your upper extremities and don’t use them as much, you may develop fluid retention in them; a condition called oedema. Your hand therapist can help prevent or control this by elevating, stretching and moving your less-mobile extremities.  

Upon request, some Taskers can help you with your diet, and assist you in getting fresh, healthy food to minimise or recover from mild oedema. They can help you stay hydrated and help you reduce your salt intake to control oedema or help you prevent its onset.  

Pain management

This part of hand therapy can involve treating wounds and monitoring their healing progress. Taskers can apply or give you the prescribed medication for any wounds on your upper extremities. They can also change any wound dressing when necessary and apply a splint to the affected area to prevent stiffness, prevent unwanted movement and minimise pain.  

Strengthening exercises

Your therapist can assist you in performing strengthening exercises for your affected upper extremities. They can do passive exercises which involve moving or stretching your stiff joints without your effort. For the upper extremities you can move and must strengthen, your Tasker can have you do exercises with light weights, exercise putty, resistance bands or other equipment. 

You should allow yourself to progress gradually and don’t over-exert yourself. Remember to get help stocking up your pantry and have someone do the housework to avoid overexertion. Your Tasker can reduce the passive exercises once you can move your stiffened joints yourself. You may have to do these exercises for each session until you gradually restore or attain the mobility goal you set out for yourself. 

Doing exercises in-between sessions

Without continued exercises, the mobility you regained can be lost, so your Tasker may teach you stretching and strengthening exercises to do on your own. They can advise you to do only these exercises and not attempt to do more.