APPOINTMENT

How We Treat

Our Approach

At Hand Rehabilitation Specialists, we provide specialized therapy for people experiencing pain, stiffness, swelling, or dysfunction in the fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Our dedicated team is comprised of highly trained Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists, including six Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs)—clinicians with advanced expertise in treating upper limb conditions. We pride ourselves on a collaborative, patient-centered approach designed to help you regain strength, mobility, and function, so you can return to the activities that matter most—whether that’s work, sports, or everyday living.
Our goal is to provide thorough, individualized care that supports your complete recovery and long-term wellness. Whether your injury is acute or chronic, simple or complex, you can trust our team to guide you toward the best possible outcomes.

Our Comprehensive Services

As a therapist-owned private practice, we bring a unique level of commitment and personalized care to every patient. Our staff collectively boasts over 100 years of experience in diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating a wide range of hand and upper extremity injuries and conditions. From initial assessment to treatment planning, we work closely with you, educating you every step of the way to ensure you feel informed and empowered throughout your recovery journey.

Individualized Evaluation and Assessment
Every patient begins their care journey with a comprehensive, one-on-one evaluation performed by a licensed Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist. This assessment is designed to identify the root cause of your symptoms and understand how your condition is impacting your daily activities, work, or recreational pursuits. We take the time to review your medical history, perform hands-on testing of joint mobility, strength, sensation, and coordination, and observe functional movements related to your goals. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing a chronic condition, or preparing for or recovering from surgery, this evaluation helps us create a personalized treatment plan that is specific to your needs, lifestyle, and recovery goals. We believe this individualized approach lays the foundation for effective, targeted therapy and better long-term outcomes.

Our therapists are highly skilled in the design and fabrication of custom splints—also known as orthoses—tailored to meet each patient’s specific needs. Splints may be used to protect healing fractures and soft tissue injuries, reduce inflammation and strain in conditions like tendonitis, or provide joint support and alignment for individuals with arthritis. We also offer silver ring splints to manage hypermobility or joint deformities, and create specialized sports splints to support function and reduce pain during athletic activity, whether for acute injury or long-standing conditions. For more complex cases, such as joint contractures, contracted scars, or tight joints that have not responded to standard therapy, we fabricate dynamic or static progressive orthoses designed to gradually restore mobility and improve joint positioning. Each splint is custom-molded for comfort, effectiveness, and optimal therapeutic benefit.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) are conditions caused by repetitive stress, overuse, or prolonged strain on muscles, tendons, and nerves—often associated with work tasks, sports, or daily routines. Our clinic uses a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to treat these conditions and prevent their recurrence. Treatment may include ergonomic education and workplace modifications, targeted stretching and strengthening exercises, nerve gliding techniques, activity modification, and joint protection strategies. Custom splints may be fabricated to rest or protect the affected area during recovery. By combining manual therapy with innovative interventions and patient education, we aim to relieve symptoms, restore function, and help you return to your daily activities with greater comfort and confidence.

Our therapists provide expert care for surgical and non-surgical wounds—such as those from trauma, burns, lacerations, grafts, and post-operative procedures—using advanced, evidence-based techniques to promote healing, prevent infection, and reduce scarring. Treatment includes wound assessment, gentle debridement, specialized dressings, infection control, moisture balance, and scar management. To support recovery, we integrate hand therapy strategies like edema control, range-of-motion exercises, and splinting, while closely coordinating with physicians for complex cases to preserve function and mobility throughout the healing process.

  • Pain in the hand and upper limb can significantly affect your daily life and activities. Our therapists provide personalized pain management plans tailored to your specific condition, whether you are dealing with recent injury pain or ongoing chronic discomfort. One of the advanced techniques we use is graded motor imagery, a specialized therapy that helps retrain the brain’s perception of pain through a series of progressive exercises involving visualization, imagined movements, and controlled physical activities. This approach can be especially helpful for complex or chronic pain conditions where the nervous system becomes sensitized. Combined with other targeted therapies and patient education on pain control and joint protection, graded motor imagery supports reducing pain, improving function, and enhancing overall quality of life.

Sensory issues like numbness, tingling, or hypersensitivity can result from nerve injuries, surgery, or conditions like neuropathy. Our therapists use detailed sensory testing to assess touch, pressure, temperature, vibration, and limb awareness, then create personalized programs to restore sensory function. Treatment may include sensory retraining, desensitization, and coordination exercises to improve fine motor skills, reduce discomfort, and enhance hand function—supporting your return to daily activities and overall quality of life.

Scars from surgery, injury, or burns can impact both appearance and function by causing tightness, pain, or restricted movement. Our therapists use gentle massage, stretching, and desensitization techniques to reduce discomfort and improve mobility. We also provide custom compression garments to support scar remodeling and manage swelling. Our goal is to restore flexible, pain-free movement and help you regain confidence in using your hand or upper limb.

Swelling in the hand and upper limb can limit movement, cause discomfort, and delay healing. Our clinic includes a certified lymphedema specialist trained in Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) and evidence-based techniques to treat lymphedema and persistent edema. Treatment includes manual lymphatic drainage, compression therapy, targeted exercises, skin care, and education—promoting fluid movement, reducing swelling, and restoring function. Each program is personalized to support healing and help you return to daily activities more comfortably and quickly.

State-of-the-Art Modalities

Light Therapy

(also known as low-level laser therapy) uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular activity, promoting tissue repair, reducing inflammation, and easing pain.

Iontophoresis

uses a mild electrical current to deliver anti-inflammatory or analgesic medications through the skin directly to the affected area, helping reduce pain and inflammation without injections or oral medications..

Therapeutic Ultrasound

employs high-frequency sound waves to stimulate tissue repair, increase blood flow, reduce swelling, and promote the healing of soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments...

Electrical Stimulation

used as an effective tool to support healing, reduce pain, and improve muscle function. This non-invasive therapy delivers gentle electrical currents to targeted areas, helping to decrease inflammation, stimulate nerve activity, and promote muscle re-education.

Paraffin Wax Therapy

involves dipping the hand or wrist into warm paraffin wax, which provides soothing heat to relax muscles, increase circulation, and relieve stiffness and pain—commonly used for arthritis or chronic hand conditions.

Fluidotherapy

is a dry heat therapy using heated air and fine cellulose particles that gently massage and warm the hand or arm. It improves circulation, reduces stiffness, and aids in pain relief while allowing gentle movement during treatment.

Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Massage (IASTM)

is a manual therapy technique that uses specialized tools to identify and treat soft tissue restrictions. It helps improve circulation, reduce pain, and speed up recovery—making it an effective option for both injury rehab and chronic muscle tension.

Kinesiotape

is a flexible, therapeutic tape applied to the skin to support muscles and joints without restricting movement. It helps reduce pain, improve circulation, and enhance recovery—making it a valuable tool for injury management and performance support.

  • Training

  • Regaining independence in everyday tasks is a core part of our hand therapy program. When hand or upper limb issues make activities like dressing, cooking, or grooming difficult, we provide personalized training to help you adapt safely and comfortably. Our therapists teach alternative techniques to reduce strain and improve function, and recommend adaptive tools such as reachers, built-up handles, and dressing aids. By combining skill training with the right equipment, we help you maintain independence, protect healing tissues, and improve your quality of life.

  • Workplace

  • Protecting your hands and upper limbs starts with proper ergonomics. Our therapists perform detailed assessments at work or home to identify habits and setups that may lead to pain or injury. We evaluate posture, movements, and workstation design, then offer personalized recommendations—such as adjusting desk height, tool placement, or using ergonomic devices. We also teach body mechanics, safe work practices, and the importance of rest breaks and stretching. Our goal is to reduce strain, prevent injury, and support lasting comfort in your daily routines.

  • Prevention

  • Preventing future injuries is a key part of our care. Once your condition is addressed, we focus on educating you about its causes and how to avoid recurrence. Our therapists provide personalized guidance on modifying daily activities, using proper body mechanics, and protecting joints. You’ll learn to recognize early signs of strain, pace your tasks, and take rest breaks to support recovery. With practical tools and strategies, we help you stay active, reduce pain, and protect your hands and upper limbs for the long term.

  • Return-to-Work

  • Returning to work after injury or surgery takes more than healing—it requires rebuilding the strength and skills needed for your job. Our tailored programs bridge that gap with training focused on job-specific strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination. We simulate work tasks, teach proper body mechanics, and provide injury prevention strategies to ensure a safe return. Working closely with you, your employer, and healthcare team, we create a customized, goal-driven plan to help you return to full or modified duties with confidence and long-term success.

  • Programs

  • To support your recovery between sessions, we provide personalized home exercise programs focused on improving strength, flexibility, coordination, and joint mobility. For added support, we’ve partnered with Tenzr to offer remote therapeutic monitoring—allowing us to track your progress, give real-time feedback, and adjust your plan as needed. This innovative approach keeps you motivated, on track, and fully supported throughout your rehab journey.

Regaining independence in everyday tasks is a core part of our hand therapy program. When hand or upper limb issues make activities like dressing, cooking, or grooming difficult, we provide personalized training to help you adapt safely and comfortably. Our therapists teach alternative techniques to reduce strain and improve function, and recommend adaptive tools such as reachers, built-up handles, and dressing aids. By combining skill training with the right equipment, we help you maintain independence, protect healing tissues, and improve your quality of life.

Protecting your hands and upper limbs starts with proper ergonomics. Our therapists perform detailed assessments at work or home to identify habits and setups that may lead to pain or injury. We evaluate posture, movements, and workstation design, then offer personalized recommendations—such as adjusting desk height, tool placement, or using ergonomic devices. We also teach body mechanics, safe work practices, and the importance of rest breaks and stretching. Our goal is to reduce strain, prevent injury, and support lasting comfort in your daily routines.

Preventing future injuries is a key part of our care. Once your condition is addressed, we focus on educating you about its causes and how to avoid recurrence. Our therapists provide personalized guidance on modifying daily activities, using proper body mechanics, and protecting joints. You’ll learn to recognize early signs of strain, pace your tasks, and take rest breaks to support recovery. With practical tools and strategies, we help you stay active, reduce pain, and protect your hands and upper limbs for the long term.

Returning to work after injury or surgery takes more than healing—it requires rebuilding the strength and skills needed for your job. Our tailored programs bridge that gap with training focused on job-specific strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination. We simulate work tasks, teach proper body mechanics, and provide injury prevention strategies to ensure a safe return. Working closely with you, your employer, and healthcare team, we create a customized, goal-driven plan to help you return to full or modified duties with confidence and long-term success.

To support your recovery between sessions, we provide personalized home exercise programs focused on improving strength, flexibility, coordination, and joint mobility. For added support, we’ve partnered with Tenzr to offer remote therapeutic monitoring—allowing us to track your progress, give real-time feedback, and adjust your plan as needed. This innovative approach keeps you motivated, on track, and fully supported throughout your rehab journey.