St. Genevieve, MO Hand Therapy

St. Genevieve, MO Hand Therapy. As humans the tasks and actions we come across in daily life require heavy use of our hands and arms. Our hands are exceptionally complex, made up of different types of joints, bones, and an intricate system of blood vessels, nerves, tendons, and muscles, which are all required to work in coordination to allow the fine motor control needed to button a shirt, hold a coffee cup, or type an email. When your medical condition or injury affects any part of your hand, wrist, forearm, or elbow, turn to the skilled care provided by a St. Genevieve, MO hand therapist.

Skilled hand therapy can be the difference between a successful recovery and return to normal activities versus suffering from lasting complications, pain, and limitations. A well-designed hand therapy program will be individualized to your specific injury, with the objectives of protection and possible splinting, pain management, graded movement restoration, strengthening, and improvement of fine motor skills along with other hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder functions, making it possible for you to live, work, and play without pain.Axes Physical Therapy delivers quality hand therapy near you. Contact us today to learn more about our hand therapy program or to schedule your first appointment.

What is Hand Therapy?

Hand therapy is a medical sub-specialty under the general field of occupational or physical therapy. Hand therapists treat issues affecting the arms, elbows, forearms, hands, wrists, and fingers both acute and chronic. The purpose of hand therapy is to improve upper extremity function as it relates to the nature of your condition.

Anatomy, physiology, and joint kinesiology principles are combined in hand therapy to understand and treat. Experienced hand therapists have a deep wealth of knowledge regarding the way the human hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, and shoulder are built and work together. This knowledge is put to use to help their patients perform activities of daily living, go to work, or play sports. Hand therapists undergo continuous education on clinically researched best practices and medically proven approaches to managing upper extremity injuries. They apply scientific evidence and collaborate with the leading orthopedic and plastic hand surgeons in the St. Genevieve, MO. The exact treatment is always dependent upon the patient, their condition, and their goals.

Hand Therapists

A physical therapist or occupational therapist who has specifically trained in treating the hand, wrist, arm, elbow, and shoulder is a hand therapist. They are required to complete advanced education and have clinical experience treating the vast scope of conditions including traumas, chronic diseases, muscoskeletal injuries, neurological conditions, and deformities that affect the upper extremity.

Physical and occupational therapists must complete an exacting certification process to obtain a special hand therapy license. Those who meet critera are licensed as Certified Hand Therapists – also known as a CHT. The CHT certification process is rigorous. That process includes three years of professional practice including 4,000 hours of upper extremity treatment and an intensive certification exam. In addition, hand therapists must qualify again every five years to retain their certification.

Axes Physical Therapy employs a team of the St. Genevieve, MO area’s top physical therapists and occupational therapists, including several accomplished Certified Hand Therapists. Our talented CHT’s work continuously to meet the rigorous demands required to maintain their certification and bring the best hand therapy to each of their patients. We match each patient with the individual who is best equipped to meet his or her hand therapy needs.

Hand Therapy Applications

Hand therapy treats upper extremity complains such as:

Chronic conditions (i.e. osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
Acute and chronic pain
Swelling
Joint injuries
Fractures
strains and sprains
Joint dislocation
Burns
Tendon lacerations
Post-surgical management and rehabilitation
Tendonitis and tendonosis
Compression syndromes (i.e. carpal tunnel)
Nerve and neurological conditions
Infections
Amputations and limb and digit reattachments

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for specialized treatment of your hand, wrist, or elbow in St. Genevieve, MO, you will receive the expert care of a Certified Hand Therapist. In addition to the highly technical evaluation and treatment of your upper extremity injury, every Axes patient is treated with a comprehensive and personalized approach. We treat each patient entirely – from the source of your discomfort to the activities your condition has affected – with a focus on helping you reach your occupational needs. Our client-centered approach means that we prioritize your personal experience in your recovery. Your St. Genevieve, MO hand therapy specialist will formulate an intricate treatment plan based on your history, medical and surgical procedures (if any), and your expressed priorities and desires.

If you aren’t sure yet if you’d like to try St. Genevieve, MO hand therapy, consider what this treatment option can do for you. Hand therapy offers:

Treatment without surgery
Improved upper extremity function
Management of acute and chronic pain
Reduced sensitivity to nerve-related problems
Recovery from tendon and nerve injuries
Improved movement and strength
Reduced stiffness
New, modified ways to execute everyday activities
Preparation to return to work

St. Genevieve, MO Hand Therapy Treatment

Hand therapy treatment is unique to each injury and patient. Your hand therapy treatment team will apply their skill and expertise in upper extremity anatomy and function combined with an in-depth understanding of your personal goals and priorities. Depending on the nature of your injury or condition, the affected areas, and what kind of activities you wish to return to, your hand therapist will conceive of a treatment plan that works for you. Focus may be given to improving strength, reducing stiffness, managing pain, practicing movement, or preventing further medical complications like infection and improper healing.

Your St. Genevieve, MO hand therapist will employ non-operative interventions, preventative care, and rehabilitation strategies to guide you back to the upper extremity function that is important in your daily life. Patients of all kinds, from those with minor isolated fingertip injuries, complex chronic conditions, and everyone in between all count on St. Genevieve, MO hand therapy to remaster the everyday motions and functions they need and want to do – such as unlocking and opening doors – on top of the occupational tasks specific to their unique lives – such as performing work duties like typing and lifting and personal functions like holding a baby.

There are a wide variety of treatment methods that may be employed in hand therapy treatment. You see the most optimal results when you actively participate in your St. Genevieve, MO hand therapy. Your hand therapist will carefuly discuss with you and consult with your medical providers to evaluate which treatments are most appropriate and best meet your needs.

Hand therapy may include:

Home exercises
Education
Functional activities
Exercise
Manual interventions
Relearning muscle or neural movements
Work simulations
Laceration care
Dexterity training
Custom splinting
Wound and scar care

Other care and treatment provided by Axes Physical Therapy are things such as:

Hand Therapy Treatment Near St. Genevieve, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

You have a hand, wrist, arm, or shoulder injury or condition that makes getting around day-to-day difficult on your own. Hand therapy from a Certified Hand Therapist at Axes Physical Therapy gives you access to the expert care and treatment that will restore the movement, flexibility, and strength necessary to accomplish the tasks you come across every day.

Finger, hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, arm, and shoulder conditions and injuries are often complex, and recovery can be challenging. Put your recovery in the hands of the leading St. Genevieve, MO hand therapists by scheduling an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today. Our several locations that offer hand therapy are locally owned and operated, with this one conveniently located in the St. Genevieve, MO area. Contact us or request an appointment online today.