Hand, Wrist & Elbow Therapy

Hand, Wrist & Elbow Therapy at UVM Health

You use your hands, wrists and elbows for a wide variety of tasks. Chronic pain, injuries and surgery can all interfere with your daily activities and hobbies. Hand therapy focuses on treating orthopedic injuries and conditions that affect your hands, wrists and elbows.

The majority of the certified hand therapists in Vermont and northern New York treat patients within University of Vermont Health. When you choose our team, you have access to the most experienced hand specialists in the region. We work closely with hand surgeons and orthopedists to provide comprehensive, leading-edge care.

A medical professional helps a patient stretch their elbow.

Why Choose UVM Health?

As one of the region’s leading rehabilitation programs, we offer:

Specialized skills: Each of our hand therapists is a physical therapist or occupational therapist who has completed at least five additional years of training in hand and upper extremity therapy.
Access to care: We offer rehabilitation services in multiple locations throughout Vermont and northern New York. No matter where you live, you have easy access to expert care.
Teaching and training: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physicians are active researchers, many of whom are training the next generation of experts.

Conditions We Treat

Hand therapy may treat a chronic condition or help you recover from an injury or surgery.

Common conditions we treat with hand, wrist and elbow therapy include:

Amputations: You may have part or all of a finger or hand removed (amputated) due to a severe traumatic injury or infection.
Arthritis: The strong, protective covering between your bones (cartilage) wears away, causing friction and pain.
Dupuytren’s contracture: The fascia, a layer of tissue beneath the skin, thickens at the base of your fingers, causing your fingers to bend toward the palm.
Fractures: A bone may break or crack, usually as the result of a traumatic injury.
Ligament injuries: The bands of tissue that connect your bones to one another (ligaments) may stretch or tear.
Nerve compression problems: Any of the nerves in your hand, wrist or elbow may get squeezed or pinched. For example, in carpal tunnel syndrome, one of the major hand nerves running through your wrist gets compressed. In cubital tunnel syndrome, the ulnar nerve, a long nerve running from your shoulder to your wrist, becomes compressed at your elbow joint.
Post-surgical healing: Hand therapy is often an important part of recovering from surgeries such as a finger joint replacement.
Tendonitis: The thick tissue that attaches muscles to bones (tendons) becomes inflamed. Golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are types of tendonitis.
Tendon lacerations: A laceration (cut) in a tendon can cause pain, numbness and difficulty moving your fingers.
Traumatic injuries: A traumatic injury may damage or crush the structures in your fingers, hands or forearms.
Trigger finger: The tendon that controls your finger’s movements doesn’t glide as it should. You may feel your finger locking or catching when you bend and straighten it.

What to Expect

You will meet with a hand therapist who will evaluate you and ask about your symptoms. They will then create a personalized treatment plan designed to decrease pain, improve recovery and maximize function.

Depending on your needs, your treatment may include:

Adaptive equipment and skills: To help you complete daily activities
Desensitization: Special techniques that help reduce hypersensitivity after an injury or surgery
Edema management: Techniques like massage, compression, exercise or elevation to reduce swelling caused by fluid buildup
Exercises to improve strength and range of motion: Including at-home exercises to practice between sessions
Return-to-work conditioning: To help you get back to your job safely
Sensory re-education: Techniques that help restore your sense of touch, so you have better control over your hands and upper extremities
Splints: Custom-made devices that support alignment and correct deformities

Awards & Certifications

Hand Therapy Certification Commission

Our team includes occupational and physical therapists with certification from the Hand Therapy Certification Commission. This credential highlights our commitment to offering the most advanced and highest quality care.