What is a Certified Hand Therapist

People value the use of their hands & any loss of function through injury or accident can devastate lives. Anyone with an injury wants nothing but the very best to assure maximal recovery. A certified hand therapist offers the assurance that the therapist treating them has achieved the highest level of competency in the profession & stays well informed in the field. The intricate anatomy of the arm & hand frequently requires very delicate surgery, often with microscopic techniques. The technical complexity of these kinds of surgeries necessitates a high level of care during the postoperative recovery by therapists with advanced skills in upper extremity rehabilitation. Therapists must be knowledgeable about these advanced surgical techniques and postoperative therapy programs to become CHTs. They must also remain knowledgeable about changes in hand therapy practice. Certification is voluntary and is difficult to attain. A CHT is someone who has demonstrated a personal dedication to the profession of hand therapy and a desire for advanced knowledge.  The CHT credential is recognized by many professional orga­nizations as a benchmark for excellence in advanced specialty credentialing in health care

For the Hand Surgeon

After Hand surgery / microsurgery for carpal tunnel, trigger finger, tendonitis, laceration of tendon, fracture, nerve repair etc. a Hand surgeon seeks the knowledge and expertise of a Certified Hand Therapist to provide care for their patients. Rehab is incomplete without the collaboration of the two.

 

For the Orthopedist and Sports Injuries

A CHT is qualified to treat injuries like rotator cuff tear, tendonitis of the shoulder/elbow due to sports injury, frozen shoulder, fractures of upper extremity etc.

Pregnancy related hand problems

For the gynecologist the CHT can provide education and treatment for their patients suffering from Carpal tunnel due to water retention and tendonitis of the thumb and wrist. from improper lifting and handling the baby

For the Rheumatologist

Research has shown that early management of arthritis with splint and adaptive device and can prevent disabling conditions that arise due to arthritis and delay the progression of the disease. A CHT can provide splints and exercises along with management tips in the first 3 stages of arthritis.

For the Plastic Surgeon

TheCertified Hand Therapist offers treatment for patients who have developed Hypertrophic Scars or Keloids with certain plastic or reconstructive procedures or burns. In addition to providing scar pads and pressure garments / splints they also use massage plus modalities to help diminish the look of the scar and improve function.

For the Internist

The CHT’s are well versed in the treatment of computer related injuries.  They can perform onsite ergonomic consultation, repetitive motion injury prevention, customized injury prevention classes, posture and body mechanics training, stretching and exercise programs, job site evaluations and job analysis.

They can also perform Functional Capacity Evaluations along with Work Conditioning.

Custom Splinting

CHT’s are trained to fabricate custom splints based on the patient’s needs that are molded on patient’s hands to get the best fit. Splints are designed for various pre and post op. injuries. For e.g.: Trigger finger splints which can be done pre-op to prevent locking of the finger in the morning, to post op splinting after fractures, tennis elbow surgery, flexor tendon to name a few.

You can find the entire list of custom splints at our website at http://www.ASHT.org

For the Oncologist

The Certified Hand Therapist provides helpful hints to care for the patients after breast cancer surgery. They can provide the patients with exercises to improve ROM, manage scar with US, massage and edema management with various techniques including pressure garments ultimately gaining their strength and function back to normal.

Ask Us

To find out about a Certified Hand Therapist nearest you please log on to www.ASHT.org. We are here to help you find the right therapist for your patients with upper extremity problem