Hand Therapy: Expert Guide to Treatment & Recovery

Our hands do almost everything — and when injury, surgery, or a condition limits them, it affects every part of daily life. This guide covers hand therapy at every age: the injuries and operations it treats in adults, and what is different for children.

For other adult conditions, see therapy for adults or start here.

What is hand therapy, and who are certified hand therapists?

Hand therapy is the rehabilitation of the upper limb: the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle. It merges occupational and physical therapy, and aims to prevent problems, restore function and reverse the progression of disease in the arm, so you can do your everyday tasks.⁠¹

A Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) is an occupational or physical therapist with at least three years of experience and 4,000 hours of hand and upper extremity therapy who has passed a certification exam. The credential is renewed every five years.⁠²

Hand therapists treat everything from fingertip injuries to reattached fingers and hands, and long-term problems such as autoimmune disorders, nerve conditions, pain and diabetes that affect the arm.⁠¹ Care often starts within days of an injury or surgery and runs through your return to work and daily life.⁠²

Is hand therapy OT or PT?

Both. A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or a physical therapist who has specialized in the hand and arm, and the CHT credential is open to either.⁠^1,2 Both professions graduate from an accredited program and pass a national registration exam, and either can work in hand therapy.⁠²

Medicare covers outpatient occupational and physical therapy alike. It describes occupational therapy as help with daily activities such as dressing or bathing, and physical therapy as restoring movement after an injury, illness or surgery.⁠^6,7

• Occupational therapy vs physical therapy

Who needs hand therapy? Conditions it treats

Hand therapy helps people recovering from or living with:

• Fractures and dislocations of the wrist, hand and fingers.⁠^1,3,9
• Tendon cuts, tears and repairs, including mallet finger and jersey finger.⁠^1,5,10
• Nerve problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome.⁠^1,11
• Tendon pain such as trigger finger and de Quervain’s tenosynovitis (tendinopathy).⁠^1,12
• Arthritis of the hand and thumb, and recovery after joint surgery.⁠¹³
• Crush and fingertip injuries, and reattached fingers.⁠^1,14
• Long-lasting pain after an injury, including complex regional pain syndrome.⁠^1,3

When is a hand or wrist injury an emergency?

Go to an emergency room right away, or call 911, if after a hand, wrist or finger injury:

• Fingers are numb, tingling, pale or blue. Numbness after a wrist injury can mean nerve pressure that needs quick treatment.⁠^3,4,15,16
• Pain is severe and getting worse, it hurts badly when someone gently straightens your fingers, or you newly cannot bend your thumb or index finger.⁠³
• A bone is through the skin, or a cut is deep or bleeding heavily.⁠^4,15,16
• The wrist or a finger is bent or at an odd angle.⁠^3,4
• A fingertip is cut off. Wrap it in moist gauze, seal it in a watertight bag, put the bag on ice (never the fingertip directly on ice) and bring it with you.⁠¹⁴

Don’t drive yourself. Take off rings and watches before the hand swells, and don’t eat or drink in case you need surgery.⁠^4,5,15

A cut on the palm side and a finger that cannot bend needs to be seen as soon as possible, at urgent care or an emergency room. A cut tendon cannot heal on its own and is usually repaired within 7 to 10 days; if blood flow to the finger is cut off, surgery is immediate.⁠⁵

Other injuries still need a doctor soon. A mallet finger should be seen ideally within a week.⁠¹⁰ A jammed finger can hide a tendon injury that becomes much harder to treat after 3 weeks.⁠¹⁷ A wrist “sprain” that hurts at the base of the thumb can be a scaphoid fracture, which may not show on the first X-ray.⁠¹⁸

What happens in hand therapy, and how long does recovery take?

The first visit is an assessment, and the plan that follows is built to improve motion, dexterity, strength and function so you can do your everyday tasks.⁠¹ Common measures of progress are finger range of motion, grip and pinch strength, and questionnaires about daily function such as the DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand).⁠^11,19,20

How long it takes depends on the injury and its treatment. Typical times:

These are typical ranges, not targets. Recovery is different for everyone, so ask your surgeon about your own plan and when you can return to normal activities.⁠³

What treatments does hand therapy use?

Hand therapy includes:

• Custom orthoses (splints) to protect a repair, hold a joint still or correct a deformity, often made by the therapist.⁠^1,10
• Exercise programs designed for motion, dexterity and strength.⁠¹
• Swelling control with elevation and compression wraps.⁠^1,14
• Scar and sensitivity care: scar management, massage, heat, desensitization and sensory re-education.⁠^1,14
• Manual therapy for stiff joints, such as joint mobilization.⁠¹
• Joint protection and adaptive equipment for daily tasks, and ergonomic changes at work.⁠¹
• Work conditioning and retraining for a return to work.⁠¹

The evidence for many of these is thin. Cochrane reviews of rehabilitation after a broken wrist, carpal tunnel release and flexor tendon repair rated the evidence low or very low certainty.⁠^19,20,23 The carpal tunnel review advises basing the decision on the clinician’s expertise, your preferences and your setting.⁠²⁰

Broken wrist (distal radius fracture): rehab and recovery timeline

A distal radius fracture is a break of the radius near the wrist, and about 1 in 6 broken bones treated in US emergency rooms is one. The usual cause is a fall onto an outstretched arm; with osteoporosis, even a minor fall can break the wrist.⁠³

Cast or surgery. If the bone is in a good position, a cast holds it while it heals, often after a splint for the first few weeks while it swells. A break that cannot be lined up or held in a cast is fixed with surgery, with plates, screws or pins.⁠³

The first weeks. Move your fingers as soon as possible after the cast or surgery, and tell your doctor if you cannot fully move them within 24 hours because of pain or swelling.⁠³ Keep the elbow and shoulder moving too.⁠²⁴

When therapy starts. Without surgery, the cast usually comes off 4 to 6 weeks after the break and therapy starts then, with a removable splint between sessions. After surgery, it can start within days to weeks.⁠³ Without surgery, wrist motion may start later to avoid shifting the break.⁠²⁴

Months 2 to 12. Most broken wrists take about 3 months to heal enough for all activities. Almost everyone has some stiffness, which usually eases in the month or two after the cast comes off and keeps improving for at least 2 years. Light activities such as swimming often return at 1 to 2 months, and demanding ones such as skiing or football at 3 to 6 months. Some pain with harder activities is normal for up to a year.⁠³

What the evidence shows. A Cochrane review of 26 trials, mostly in older women, found the evidence too weak to say which rehabilitation works best. Adding routine therapy sessions to home-exercise instructions made no clinically important difference, and after plate fixation, a structured home program with coaching did at least as well as supervised therapy (low quality evidence). Ice, whirlpool baths, pulsed electromagnetic fields and passive mobilization added nothing clinically significant (very low quality evidence).⁠²³

Watch for. Severe pain that does not ease with medicine can be complex regional pain syndrome, which needs treatment. A broken wrist is often the first sign of weak bones, and one fragility fracture almost doubles the risk of another, so ask about a bone density test.⁠³

• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Osteoporosis and bone health

Tendon repair in the hand: why the splint and exercises matter

Flexor tendons bend the fingers and extensor tendons straighten them.⁠¹⁰ A cut or torn tendon pulls apart and cannot heal on its own, so most are repaired by a surgeon, usually within 7 to 10 days of the injury.⁠⁵

Flexor tendon repair. Surgeons often refer you to a hand therapist in the days after surgery to start exercises that protect the repair while letting the tendon glide. You wear a protective splint for about 6 to 8 weeks, off only for the prescribed exercises, and the tendon needs about 3 to 4 months before unrestricted use.⁠⁵

Why the splint matters. Splint wear and exercise exactly as prescribed are as important as the surgery itself, and the result depends greatly on following your surgeon’s and therapist’s instructions. Scar tissue can make a repaired tendon stick; if therapy does not free it, a second operation (tenolysis) may be done at about 4 to 6 months.⁠⁵

Which exercise protocol? A Cochrane review of 17 trials (1,108 people, mainly adults) could not show that any one regimen is better; all the evidence was very low certainty.⁠¹⁹ Follow the protocol your own surgeon and therapist set.

Jersey finger. When a finger, usually the ring finger, catches in a jersey and is pulled hard, the flexor tendon can tear off the bone. It is one of the most common of these injuries in football, wrestling and rugby, and a torn tendon usually needs a surgeon.⁠⁵

Mallet finger. A blow to the fingertip, often from a ball, tears the extensor tendon at the end joint and the tip droops. Most are treated with a splint, often made by a hand therapist, worn full time for 6 to 8 weeks, then less often for 3 to 4 more weeks.⁠¹⁰ Keep the tip straight whenever the splint is off; if it droops, healing is disrupted.⁠^10,25 Many people do not regain full straightening, but most have a good result when treated promptly.⁠¹⁰

Finger fractures, dislocations and jammed fingers

It can be hard to tell whether a finger is broken, dislocated or badly sprained, so you probably need an X-ray.⁠^4,16

Hand and finger fractures. Many heal without surgery in a cast, a splint, or a buddy strap that uses the next finger as a moving splint. The most common is a boxer’s fracture of the bone behind the little finger, usually from punching something hard. A cast may stay on for 3 to 6 weeks, and gentle hand exercises can usually start after 3 weeks.⁠⁹ A broken finger usually heals in 6 to 8 weeks, and full strength can take 3 to 4 months.⁠⁴

Stiffness is the main risk. Fingers held still to heal can stiffen, and your doctor or an occupational, physical or hand therapist gives exercises to reduce it. If stiffness persists after the bone heals, surgery to free a tendon or release a tight joint is sometimes needed.⁠⁹

Dislocations. Don’t try to put a joint back yourself; splint it as you found it and get care. The tissues around it generally take 6 to 12 weeks to heal, and a joint that has dislocated once is more likely to do so again.⁠¹⁶

Jammed fingers. A jammed finger can be several injuries, including a tear of the central slip, the tendon that straightens the middle joint. That injury can lead to a boutonnière deformity: the middle joint stays bent and the tip bends back. A splint holds the middle joint straight continuously, usually for 6 to 8 weeks, while you keep bending the fingertip. Injuries treated within 3 weeks tend to do quite well.⁠¹⁷

Carpal tunnel syndrome: hand therapy and recovery after surgery

Carpal tunnel syndrome is numbness, tingling and pain in the thumb, index, middle and ring fingers from pressure on the median nerve at the wrist, and it often wakes people at night. In most people it gets worse over time, and left too long it can permanently weaken the hand.⁠¹¹

Before surgery. Early symptoms can often be relieved by a wrist splint at night that keeps the wrist straight, nerve gliding exercises, changing aggravating activities or the workstation, and sometimes a steroid injection.⁠¹¹ In a Cochrane review, a night splint more than tripled the chance of feeling better after 4 weeks compared with no treatment, but in one low quality study; there was not enough evidence to choose between splint designs.⁠²⁶

After carpal tunnel release. The surgery is done as an outpatient, and the wrist is in a splint or heavy bandage for about a week; motion exercises or a hand therapy program follow.⁠²² Raise the hand above your heart and move your fingers from the start. Night symptoms improve dramatically for most people in the first week or so. Grip and pinch strength usually return by 2 to 3 months, or 6 to 12 months if the nerve was badly compressed, and palm soreness can last weeks to months.⁠¹¹

Does everyone need therapy afterward? Not necessarily. A Cochrane review of 22 trials found limited, low quality evidence for any rehabilitation after release.⁠²⁰ Your doctor may refer you to a hand therapist if significant pain and weakness last more than 2 months.⁠¹¹

Trigger finger and de Quervain’s tenosynovitis: what helps?

Trigger finger. A finger or thumb catches, pops or locks when you bend or straighten it. It affects about 2% of people, most often women aged 40 to 60, people with diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, and people who grip or pinch repetitively. First-line care is rest from repetitive gripping, a night splint holding the finger straight, gentle stretching, anti-inflammatory medicine and often a steroid injection; if these fail, a short operation opens the tunnel the tendon catches in. Afterward, swelling and stiffness can take 4 to 6 months to settle, and if they don’t improve your doctor may send you to a hand therapist.⁠¹²

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Pain on the thumb side of the wrist when you grip, twist or lift with the thumb up, as when lifting a child. It is linked to pregnancy and the weeks after birth, and is most common in people in their 40s and 50s. Treatment starts with changing painful activities, a removable splint that keeps the wrist straight and the thumb still (especially at night), ice, anti-inflammatory medicine and a steroid injection. Surgery is considered if symptoms are severe or not better after 6 weeks.⁠²⁷

• Tendinopathy: tendon pain and its treatment

Hand and thumb arthritis: can a splint help?

Osteoarthritis is much more common than rheumatoid arthritis, and fractures and dislocations that damage a joint surface can lead to arthritis later.⁠¹³ A splint limits motion in an arthritic joint and can reduce pain. It is worn when the joint hurts and should leave the hand free to work, because wearing one too long weakens the muscles that support the joint.⁠¹³

For arthritis at the base of the thumb, a meta-analysis found low quality evidence that an orthosis reduces pain in the long term and moderate quality evidence that it improves function.⁠²⁸ Hand therapists also teach joint protection and energy conservation.⁠¹ After joint surgery, you are often referred to a hand therapist.⁠¹³

Hand splints and orthoses: what they do and how to wear them

An orthosis, or splint, protects a repair, holds a joint still or corrects a deformity, and hand therapists often make them to fit.⁠^1,10

• Wear it exactly as prescribed. Full time means full time: a mallet finger splint stays on for 6 to 8 weeks, even when bathing, unless the fingertip is held straight while it is off.⁠¹⁰
• Check the fit. Snug enough to hold the position, not so tight it cuts off blood flow; white skin when you take it off can mean it is too tight.⁠²⁵
• Look after your skin. Long splint wear can irritate it.⁠¹⁰
• Keep casts and splints dry. Water weakens a cast and trapped moisture causes skin problems; cover it with a plastic bag to shower.⁠³
• Call your doctor if a cast is too loose or too tight or rubs, or your fingers become numb, tingly, cold, dark or too swollen to move.⁠²⁴
• Don’t overdo it with arthritis. Wearing a splint for too long weakens the muscles.⁠¹³

Medicare Part B covers arm braces, rigid or semi-rigid devices that support a body part or stop an injured one moving, when medically necessary and ordered by your doctor or other provider.⁠⁸

Hand exercises after an injury: what to do and when

The right exercises depend on what is healing, and some movements can damage a repair, so follow the program your surgeon or therapist gives you.⁠^5,9

• Move what is free, early. After a wrist fracture or surgery, move your fingers as soon as possible, and keep the elbow and shoulder moving.⁠^3,24
• Protected motion after tendon repair. Exercises start within days and are designed to let the tendon glide without straining the repair.⁠⁵
• Keep nearby joints moving. In a splint for a jammed finger, bend the fingertip through the day; a mallet splint should not stop the uninjured joints moving.⁠^10,17
• Nerve gliding for carpal tunnel syndrome helps the median nerve move more freely, as recommended by your doctor or therapist.⁠¹¹
• Range of motion, then strength. After a minor fingertip wound, motion exercises can start after 2 days; after a hand fracture, gentle exercises usually start after about 3 weeks. Pinching and grasping activities follow.⁠^9,14
• Do the home program. The work may feel hard and at times painful, but doing the exercises you are given speeds recovery.⁠²⁴

Scar, swelling and stiffness after a hand injury

Swelling. Keep the hand raised above your heart, with a pillow at night, and use ice wrapped in a cloth for 15 to 20 minutes at a time in the first days.⁠^15,24 Take off rings early, because the fingers can swell.⁠¹⁵ Therapists also use compression wraps.⁠¹⁴

Stiffness. Stiffness is common after a cast or a tendon repair and usually responds to therapy.⁠^5,9 After a broken wrist it keeps improving for at least 2 years.⁠³ Once a broken finger has healed, moving it stops it getting stiff.⁠⁴

Scars and sensitivity. A tender scar is a known effect of carpal tunnel release.⁠²² After a fingertip injury, pain and sensitivity to cold can last up to a year, and therapists use heat, massage and desensitization.⁠¹⁴ One high-quality trial of a desensitization program after carpal tunnel release found no functional benefit.⁠²⁰

Pain out of proportion. Severe, ongoing pain that medicine does not ease can be complex regional pain syndrome, and needs treatment.⁠³

When can you drive and return to work after a hand injury?

There is no single date, so ask your surgeon when you can return to normal activities.⁠³ After a broken wrist, don’t drive or lift heavy things until you are told it is safe.⁠¹⁵

• Carpal tunnel release. Driving, self-care and light lifting and gripping may be allowed soon after surgery; your doctor discusses when you can work and any restrictions.⁠¹¹
• Broken hand. Most people return to work or sport about 8 to 12 weeks after the fracture.⁠²¹
• Broken wrist. Light activities at 1 to 2 months; demanding ones at 3 to 6 months.⁠³
• Mallet finger. Most people can keep up normal activities and sports while recovering, as long as the splint stays on.⁠²⁵
• Flexor tendon repair. Unrestricted hand use takes about 3 to 4 months.⁠⁵
• Jammed finger in sport. Protective splinting or taping may be needed for several weeks after the splint comes off.⁠¹⁷

Hand therapists also offer ergonomic and workplace advice and work conditioning to prepare you for your job.⁠¹

• Sports injuries in adults
• Orthopedic therapy for adults

Hand injuries in children: what is different?

Children’s bones have growth plates, areas of cartilage near the ends of the bones that are particularly vulnerable to injury, and most growth plate fractures happen in the finger bones. Because the growth plate shapes the adult bone, these breaks need prompt care, and follow-up visits often continue for at least a year.⁠²⁹

Forearm fractures make up as many as half of all childhood fractures, and about 3 in 4 are at the wrist end of the radius. A buckle fracture may need 3 to 4 weeks in a cast or brace. The wrist and elbow may be stiff for 2 to 3 weeks afterward, which usually goes away without physical therapy, and children should stay off monkey bars and similar equipment for 3 to 4 weeks after the cast comes off.⁠³⁰

A mallet finger in a child can involve the growth cartilage and needs careful evaluation.⁠¹⁰ In children under 6, a cut-off fingertip may be reattached and can keep growing fairly normally.⁠¹⁴ Trigger finger is rare in children, though a child’s thumb can lock bent from congenital trigger thumb.⁠¹²

• Pediatric therapy
• Occupational therapy

How do you find a certified hand therapist (CHT)?

Look for the CHT credential, or an occupational or physical therapist with substantial hand and upper extremity experience. The American Society of Hand Therapists keeps a directory of member therapists.⁠² CHTs are unevenly spread: in 2016, the 5,572 active CHTs worked in just 9% of US ZIP code areas, mostly urban ones.⁠³¹

Questions worth asking:

• How often do you treat my injury or surgery, and do you follow my surgeon’s protocol?
• Do you make custom splints?⁠¹
• Are you in my plan’s network, and do I need a referral or prior authorization?⁠³²
• Is the therapy billed as occupational or physical therapy? Medicare covers both.⁠^6,7

• Find an occupational therapist
• Find a physical therapist
• Start here for adults

Does Medicare cover hand therapy? Costs and insurance

Yes, when it is medically necessary. Medicare Part B covers outpatient occupational and physical therapy once your doctor or other provider (including a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant) certifies you need it.⁠^6,7 After the Part B deductible, $283 in 2026, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and there is no yearly limit on medically necessary outpatient therapy.⁠^6,7,33

The KX threshold. Above a yearly amount, claims must carry the KX modifier confirming the therapy is medically necessary, or they are denied. In 2026 it is $2,480 for occupational therapy, and a separate $2,480 for physical therapy and speech-language pathology combined, so hand therapy counts toward whichever benefit it is billed under. Claims above $3,000 can go to targeted medical review, though not all are reviewed.⁠³⁴

Splints and braces. Part B covers arm braces when medically necessary and ordered by a doctor or other provider, at 20% after the deductible.⁠⁸

Medicare Advantage and private plans. Medicare Advantage plans must cover everything Original Medicare covers, but may require in-network providers, a referral or prior authorization, and costs vary.⁠³² Marketplace plans cover rehabilitative services and devices as an essential health benefit, with details that vary by state.⁠³⁵ Every state allows some form of direct access to physical therapists, with limits that differ.⁠³⁶

• Medicare therapy coverage
• Direct access: seeing a therapist without a referral

Find a hand therapist by city

Browse top occupational therapists in major metros — more cities and specialty filtering are added as our directory grows.

Clinics that list hand therapy

59 clinics in the DrSensory directory name hand or upper-extremity therapy among their services (27 PT, 27 OT, 5 SLP), across 22 states. This is a small part of the directory so far.

Each clinic appears here because its own listing names this among what it offers. A listing is not an endorsement, and inclusion does not mean we have verified a clinic’s credentials, licensure or insurance. Browse all occupational therapy clinics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. American Society of Hand Therapists. What We Do. Checked October 31, 2026.
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   Hand therapy is “the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle. It is the merging of occupational and physical therapy theory and practice”; hand therapists work “to prevent dysfunction, restore function and/or reverse the progression of pathology of the upper limb”; “A hand therapist is a nationally registered occupational therapist or physical therapist”; “A CHT has a minimum of three years of clinical experience, successfully passed an examination of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper extremity rehabilitation and meets mandated criteria to maintain this specialized credential”; care ranges “from simple fingertip injuries to replanted extremities,” including “crush injuries, tendon and/or ligament lacerations/repairs, tendinopathies, peripheral nerve disorders, fractures/dislocations,” and chronic problems such as “autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions, pain, diabetes”; hand therapists provide “postoperative rehabilitation, non-operative or conservative intervention, preventive care and industrial ergonomic consultation”; techniques include “Activity/exercise regimes custom designed to increase motion, dexterity and strength,” compressive therapy, “Desensitization, sensory re-education or sensory compensatory techniques,” ergonomic modifications, adaptive techniques and devices, “Joint protection and energy conservation training,” manual therapy, “Orthotic fabrication for post-op surgical protection/immobilization, correction of injury or deformity and conservative management of common upper extremity syndromes,” pain management, “Scar tissue management,” and “Work conditioning/hardening/retraining.”
2. American Society of Hand Therapists. Why See a Hand Therapist. Checked October 31, 2026.
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   “A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who, through advanced study and experience, specializes in treating individuals with conditions affecting the hands and upper extremity”; care “often starts within days of the injury or surgery right through the patient’s return to work and/or a productive lifestyle”; occupational and physical therapists have graduated from an accredited program and passed a national registration exam, and “Both OTs and PTs can practice in any specialty area of their professions, such as … hand therapy”; “A CHT is an OT or PT by profession with at least three years of experience, plus 4,000 hours of hand and upper extremity therapy practice” who has passed a certification examination, and “Hand therapists must renew their credential every five years”; “ASHT offers an enhanced directory for you to find a member therapist in your area.”
3. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Distal Radius Fractures (Broken Wrist). Checked October 31, 2026.
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   “In the U.S., about 1 out of every 6 broken bones treated in the emergency room is a distal radius fracture”; “The most common cause of a distal radius fracture is a fall onto an outstretched arm”; with osteoporosis “even a minor fall can cause a broken wrist”; go to an emergency room right away for numb fingers after a wrist injury, “Severe pain that does not get better or gets worse,” “Severe pain when someone gently straightens your fingers” or “New weakness or trouble bending your thumb or index finger” (compartment syndrome or acute carpal tunnel syndrome), and to urgent care or an emergency room if the wrist “looks badly bent or out of place” or the fingers are “numb or pale”; a cast if the bone is in a good position, a splint “usually used for the first few weeks after the injury”; surgery with plates, screws, pins or external fixation when the bone cannot be put or kept in place; without surgery the cast usually comes off “about 4 to 6 weeks after the fracture happened,” therapy starts then, with a removable splint between sessions; “Most distal radius fractures take about 3 months to heal enough for you to use your wrist for all activities. Full recovery from these injuries can take up to 1 year”; keep casts and splints dry, and cover the arm with a plastic bag to shower; “After surgery or casting, work on moving your fingers as soon as possible. Tell your doctor if you cannot fully move your fingers within 24 hours because of pain and/or swelling”; severe ongoing pain “may be a sign of complex regional pain syndrome … It needs to be treated”; “Almost all patients will have some stiffness in their wrist. This will usually get better in the month or two after the cast is taken off or after surgery. It keeps getting better for at least 2 years”; physical therapy starts “within a few days to weeks after surgery, or right after your last cast is taken off”; light activities such as swimming “within 1 to 2 months,” demanding ones such as skiing or football “between 3 and 6 months after the injury”; “Some pain with harder activities is normal for up to 1 year”; “Talk to your doctor about your recovery plan. Ask when you can return to normal activities”; a fragility fracture “is often the first sign that a person has weak bones,” and one “almost doubles your risk of having another fracture.”
4. National Health Service (England). Broken finger or thumb (page last reviewed November 20, 2025). Checked October 31, 2026.
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   “It can be hard to tell if a finger is broken, dislocated or badly sprained. You’ll probably need an X-ray”; go to an emergency department if the finger or thumb “is pointing at an odd angle,” “looks blue or feels numb,” or bone can be seen or is poking out; “remove any rings from the affected hand”; a splint, cast or strapping to the next finger; “A broken finger or thumb usually heals within 6 to 8 weeks … It may be 3 to 4 months before full strength returns”; “Moving it will stop it getting stiff.”
5. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Flexor Tendon Injuries. Checked October 31, 2026.
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   Flexor tendons let you bend the fingers and thumb; “If a tendon is torn or cut, the ends of the tendon likely will be pulled apart, making it impossible for the tendon to heal on its own”; if blood vessels are cut “the finger may have no blood supply … This requires immediate surgery”; jersey finger, common in football, wrestling and rugby, when a finger (“usually the ring finger”) catches in a jersey and the tendon is pulled off the bone; “flexor tendon injuries should be repaired within 7 to 10 days of the injury”; if you may need immediate surgery, “do not eat or drink anything”; “In most cases, a cut or torn tendon must be repaired by a surgeon”; the surgeon often refers you “to a hand therapist for several days after your surgery to begin surgical exercises that protect the tendon repair but encourage the tendons to move or glide”; “The outcome of the repair will depend greatly on your ability to follow the instructions of your surgeon and therapist”; “A flexor tendon takes approximately 3 to 4 months to heal before your hand is strong enough to use without restrictions. Usually, you will be required to wear a protective splint for approximately 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, removing it only to do exercise prescribed by your doctor and therapist”; “Stiffness after surgery is common, but it usually responds to therapy”; tenolysis “at about 4 to 6 months from the repair”; “Splint wear and proper exercise, exactly as prescribed by your therapist, are as important to recovery as the surgery itself.”
6. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Occupational therapy services (Medicare.gov). Checked October 31, 2026.
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   Part B “helps pay for medically necessary outpatient occupational therapy if your doctor or other health care provider certifies you need it”; “Therapy to help you perform activities of daily living (like dressing or bathing)”; the provider may include “a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant”; “After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount”; “There’s no limit on how much Medicare pays for your medically necessary outpatient therapy services in one calendar year.”
7. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Physical therapy services (Medicare.gov). Checked October 31, 2026.
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   “Physical therapy helps to restore or improve physical movement in your body after an injury, illness, or surgery”; your doctor or other health care provider “must certify that you need it”; “After the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount”; “There’s no limit on how much Medicare pays for your medically necessary outpatient therapy services in one calendar year.”
8. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Braces (arm, leg, back, & neck) (Medicare.gov). Checked October 31, 2026.
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   Part B “covers arm, leg, back, and neck braces when medically necessary and when a doctor or other health care provider orders them”; “Braces are rigid and semi-rigid devices that help support weak or deformed body part(s), or stop the movement of an injured body part”; “After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.”
9. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Hand Fractures. Checked October 31, 2026.
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   “In many cases, a hand fracture will heal well with nonsurgical treatment” in a cast, splint or buddy straps; “The most common hand fracture is a fracture of the fifth metacarpal … commonly called a ‘boxer’s fracture’,” caused most often by punching a hard object; “you may have to wear the cast for 3 to 6 weeks”; a non-injured finger next to it “acts as a ‘moving splint’”; “You can usually begin gentle hand exercises after 3 weeks”; after surgery “Your doctor will talk with you about when it is safe to begin range-of-motion exercises”; “your hand and fingers may become stiff. Your doctor or, in some cases, an occupational therapist, physical therapist or hand therapist, will provide specific exercises to help decrease stiffness”; persisting stiffness may need hardware removal, tenolysis or contracture release.
10. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Mallet Finger. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    An injury to “the thin tendon that straightens the end joint of a finger or thumb,” for example when a ball strikes the fingertip; the extensor tendons straighten the fingers and the flexor tendons bend them; “Seek an evaluation with a hand surgeon as soon as possible, ideally within a week of the injury”; a home splint should not be “so long that it prevents motion of the uninjured joints”; “In children, mallet finger injuries may involve the cartilage that controls bone growth. A doctor must carefully evaluate and treat this injury in children”; splints are “many of them fabricated (made) by hand therapists”; “the splint must be worn full time for 6 to 8 weeks. This means that it must be worn while bathing” unless the joint is held straight the entire time it is off; “If the fingertip droops at all, healing is disrupted”; long splint wear can irritate the skin; for 3 to 4 weeks afterward the splint is worn less, “perhaps only at night”; “many patients do not regain full fingertip extension”; “most patients with mallet finger have a good outcome when properly and promptly treated.”
11. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Numbness, tingling and pain “primarily in the thumb and index, middle, and ring fingers. This often wakes people up at night”; the median nerve is squeezed at the wrist; “In most patients, carpal tunnel syndrome gets worse over time. If untreated for too long, it can lead to permanent dysfunction of the hand”; early symptoms can often be relieved by “Wearing a wrist splint while sleeping,” “Exercises to keep the nerve mobile,” avoiding aggravating activities and a steroid injection; “Keeping your wrist in a straight or neutral position reduces pressure on the nerve”; activity changes may include “making changes to your work site or workstation”; nerve gliding exercises “may be recommended by your doctor or therapist”; after carpal tunnel release, “you will be encouraged to elevate your hand above your heart and move your fingers to reduce swelling and prevent stiffness”; “Minor soreness in your palm may last several weeks to several months”; “Nighttime symptoms improve dramatically for most patients in the first week or so”; “Grip and pinch strength usually return by about 2 to 3 months after surgery,” or “6 to 12 months” if the nerve was in poor condition; “Driving, self-care activities, and light lifting and gripping may be permitted soon after surgery”; your doctor discusses return to work and restrictions; “complete recovery may take up to a year”; “If you have significant pain and weakness for more than 2 months, your doctor may refer you to a hand therapist.”
12. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Trigger Finger. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Catching, locking or “triggering” of a finger or thumb; “Trigger finger affects 2% of the general population”; more common in “Women between the ages of 40 and 60,” people with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and amyloidosis, and people who do repetitive gripping or pinching; “Trigger finger is rare in children, though a condition called congenital trigger thumb can cause a child’s thumb to lock”; first-line treatments are activity modification, a night splint keeping the finger straight, anti-inflammatory medicine, “Gentle stretching exercises” and steroid injections; surgery (trigger finger release) if these fail; “it may take 4 to 6 months for swelling and stiffness to go away completely”; “If stiffness, swelling, or pain do not improve, your doctor may want you to see a hand therapist.”
13. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Arthritis of the Hand. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Osteoarthritis “Is much more common than rheumatoid arthritis”; “Fractures, especially those that damage the joint surface, and dislocations are among the most common injuries that lead to posttraumatic arthritis”; “Arthritic joints can be splinted to limit motion and therefore reduce pain … Splints are typically worn during periods when the joints hurt. They should be small enough to allow functional use of the hand … Wearing the splint for too long can lead to muscle deterioration (atrophy)”; after joint surgery, “Often, you will be referred to a trained hand therapist.”
14. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Fingertip Injuries and Amputations. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    First aid: clean the injury, cover it, “Elevate the injured hand so that it is higher than your heart”; for a cut-off fingertip, clean it, cover it in moistened gauze, place it in a sealed watertight bag on ice, “Do not allow the amputated part to be in direct contact with ice,” go immediately to the emergency room and bring it; for a minor wound, “After 2 days, you may start range-of-motion finger exercises to avoid stiffness”; in children younger than 6 the surgeon may reattach the fingertip, which “may continue to grow relatively normally”; “mild to severe pain and sensitivity to cold may continue for up to a year”; a doctor or hand therapist may recommend exercises and therapies including “Heat and massage,” “Fingertip desensitization,” splinting, “Special compression wrappings to control swelling” and “Activities to improve fine motor skills such as pinching and grasping.”
15. National Health Service (England). Broken arm or wrist (page last reviewed October 2, 2026). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Go to an emergency department if the arm or wrist “is numb, is tingling or has pins and needles,” there is “a bad cut that is bleeding heavily,” “a bone is sticking out of your skin” or it is at an odd angle; “Do not drive to A&E”; “remove any jewellery such as rings or watches – your fingers, wrist or hand could swell up”; “do not eat or drink anything in case you need surgery”; ice for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours; “try to keep your hand raised above your elbow whenever possible (use a pillow at night to do this)”; “do not drive or try to lift heavy items until you have been told it’s safe to do so.”
16. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Dislocation (reviewed June 27, 2026). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    “It may be hard to tell a dislocated joint from a broken bone”; “Injuries to the surrounding tissues generally take 6 to 12 weeks to heal”; “Once a joint has been dislocated, it is more likely to happen again”; “Do not attempt to put the bone back in place unless you are a bone specialist”; “Apply a splint or sling to the injured joint in the position in which you found it.”
17. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Boutonnière Deformity. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Often the result of an injury to the tendon that straightens the middle (PIP) joint, the central slip, from a blow, a dislocation or a cut, so that the middle joint “will not straighten and remains flexed, while the fingertip bends back”; “a boutonnière deformity is one of several injuries that result from a ‘jammed finger’”; a splint holds the middle joint straight, “While in the splint, it is important to work on bending the very tip of the finger,” worn “continuously (nonstop) for the recommended length of time — usually 6 to 8 weeks,” then possibly at night; athletes “may have to wear protective splinting or taping for several weeks after the splint is removed”; “If the boutonnière deformity remains untreated for more than 3 weeks, it becomes much more difficult to treat”; “Traumatic injuries treated either nonsurgically or surgically within 3 weeks of injury tend to do quite well.”
18. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Scaphoid Fracture of the Wrist. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Pain in the “anatomic snuffbox” at the base of the thumb; “With some scaphoid fractures, the pain is not severe and may be mistaken for a wrist sprain”; “In some cases, a scaphoid fracture does not show up on an X-ray right away,” so a splint or cast for 2 to 3 weeks and a repeat X-ray may be advised; healing problems are more common because parts of the scaphoid have a poor blood supply; your doctor “may refer you to a trained hand therapist who will help you regain as much range of motion and strength in your wrist as possible.”
19. Peters SE, Jha B, Ross M. Rehabilitation following surgery for flexor tendon injuries of the hand. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2021;(1):CD012479. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012479.pub2 (PMID 33434949; PMC8094509).
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    Review of 16 randomized trials and one quasi-randomized trial with 1,108 participants, “mainly adults,” aged 7 to 72; outcomes included patient-reported function (such as the DASH) and active finger range of motion; all evidence was rated very low certainty; “There is a lack of evidence from RCTs on most of the rehabilitation interventions used following surgery for flexor tendon injuries of the hand.”
20. Peters S, Page MJ, Coppieters MW, Ross M, Johnston V. Rehabilitation following carpal tunnel release. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;(2):CD004158. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004158.pub3 (PMID 26884379; PMC10493644).
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    Review of 22 trials with 1,521 participants testing wrist orthoses, dressings, exercise, cold therapy, multi-modal hand rehabilitation, laser, electrical modalities, scar desensitization and arnica; studies “were very low in quality”; one small high-quality trial of a desensitization program found no statistically significant functional benefit on the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, and one low quality trial found no difference on the DASH questionnaire at six months between no formal therapy and two weeks of multi-modal therapy; “There is limited and, in general, low quality evidence for the benefit of the reviewed interventions”; “the decision to provide rehabilitation following CTS surgery should be based on the clinician’s expertise, the patient’s preferences and the context of the rehabilitation environment.”
21. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Hand fracture – aftercare (reviewed June 27, 2026). A splint “Usually, it is for about 3 weeks”; “For severe fractures, you may need physical therapy after your splint or cast is removed”; “You can usually return to work or sports activities about 8 to 12 weeks after the fracture.” Checked October 31, 2026.
22. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Carpal tunnel release (reviewed June 4, 2025). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    “This surgery is done on an outpatient basis”; the wrist “will probably be in a splint or heavy bandage for about a week”; “After the splint or bandage is removed, you will begin motion exercises or a hand therapy program”; risks include “Scar tenderness”; recovery depends on how long you had symptoms and how damaged the nerve is.
23. Handoll HHG, Elliott J. Rehabilitation for distal radial fractures in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2015;(9):CD003324. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003324.pub3 (PMID 26403335; PMC9250132).
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    Review of 26 randomized or quasi-randomized trials with 1,269 “mainly female and older” adults, all evidence rated low or very low quality. Four trials gave low quality evidence of no clinically important difference when routine physiotherapy or occupational therapy was added to home-exercise instructions from a therapist; two trials after volar plate fixation gave “low quality evidence in favour of a structured programme of home exercises preceded by instructions or coaching” over physiotherapy or occupational therapy; very low quality evidence of no clinically significant difference from passive mobilization, ice, pulsed electromagnetic field or whirlpool immersion compared with no intervention. “The available evidence from RCTs is insufficient to establish the relative effectiveness of the various interventions used in the rehabilitation of adults with fractures of the distal radius.”
24. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Colles wrist fracture – aftercare (reviewed June 4, 2025). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Ice “for 15 to 20 minutes every few hours for the first few days,” wrapped in a cloth; elevate the arm above the heart; “Exercising your fingers, elbow, and shoulder is important”; “The work may seem hard and at times painful. But doing the exercises you are given will speed your recovery”; “if you don’t have surgery, you may start wrist motion later to avoid shifting of the fracture”; see your provider if the cast is too loose or too tight, rubs, or “You have numbness, tingling, or coldness in your hand or your fingers look dark” or “You cannot move your fingers because of swelling or pain.”
25. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Mallet finger – aftercare (reviewed June 27, 2026). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    The splint “should be snug enough to hold your finger in a straight position so that it does not droop. But it should not be so tight that it cuts off blood flow”; “If your skin is white when you take off your splint, it may be too tight”; “Keep your finger straight the whole time the splint is off”; “You will likely be able to return to your normal activities or sports even during recovery, as long as you wear your splint all the time.”
26. Page MJ, Massy-Westropp N, O’Connor D, Pitt V. Splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012;(7):CD010003. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010003 (PMID 22786532; PMC7389822).
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    Review of 19 studies with 1,190 participants. “One low quality study with 80 wrists found that compared to no treatment, splints worn at night more than tripled the likelihood of reporting overall improvement at the end of four weeks of treatment”; a very low quality quasi-randomized trial found a neutral splint more than doubled the likelihood of “a lot or complete relief” compared with an extension splint; “there is limited evidence that a splint worn at night is more effective than no treatment in the short term, but there is insufficient evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of one splint design or wearing regimen over others.”
27. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Pain and tenderness on the thumb side of the wrist when you move the thumb, make a fist, grip, turn the wrist or lift with the thumbs up (“e.g., lifting a child”); “associated with pregnancy and the postpartum period”; “most common in people in their 40s and 50s”; nonsurgical treatment is activity modification, “A removeable splint that keeps the wrist straight and the thumb still in a comfortable position may improve pain, especially when worn at night,” ice, NSAIDs and corticosteroid injection; “Surgery may be recommended if symptoms are severe or do not improve after 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment.”
28. Meireles SM, Jones A, Natour J. Orthosis for rhizarthrosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2019;48(5):778–790. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2018.07.013 (PMID 30170704).
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    Systematic review of 14 randomized trials, three in the meta-analysis, on orthoses for arthritis at the base of the thumb: “low-quality evidence for reducing pain in the long term and moderate evidence for an increase in function in the long term.”
29. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Growth Plate Fractures (reviewed by members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Growth plates are “areas of cartilage located near the ends of bones” and “particularly vulnerable to injury”; “Most growth plate fractures occur in the long bones of the fingers”; “Because the growth plate helps determine the future length and shape of the mature bone, this type of fracture usually requires prompt attention”; “With proper treatment, most growth plate fractures heal without complications”; “Regular follow-up visits to the doctor should continue for at least a year after injury”; after healing the doctor may recommend exercises for strength and range of motion.
30. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Forearm Fractures in Children (reviewed by members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Forearm fractures account “for up to half (50%) of all childhood fractures”; “About 3 out of 4 (75% of) forearm fractures in children occur at the wrist end of the radius”; “A stable fracture, such as a buckle fracture, may require 3 to 4 weeks in a cast or fracture brace”; “When the cast is removed, the wrist and elbow joints may be stiff for 2 to 3 weeks. This stiffness will go away on its own, usually without the need for physical therapy”; the child “should avoid playing on playground structures, such as monkey bars, for 3 to 4 weeks after the cast is removed.”
31. Stegink-Jansen CW, Collins PM, Lindsey RW, Wilson JL. A geographical workforce analysis of hand therapy services in relation to US population characteristics. Journal of Hand Therapy. 2017;30(4):383–396.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jht.2017.06.004 (PMID 28689925).
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    Descriptive study of the Hand Therapy Certification Commission’s list of every active CHT through April 2016: the 5,572 CHTs’ practice ZIP code areas “mostly overlapped with high density US population areas, covering just 9% of the total number of 33,120 US ZCTAs,” and the population in them was “urban in nature” with lower poverty rates.
32. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage (Medicare.gov). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Medicare Advantage “Plans must cover all medically necessary services that Original Medicare covers”; “You may need to use doctors and other providers who are in the plan’s network”; “You may need to get a referral to see a specialist”; “You may need to get approval (prior authorization) from your plan before it covers certain services or supplies”; “Plans may have different out-of-pocket costs for certain services.”
33. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare costs (Medicare.gov). “What you pay in 2026”: the Part B deductible is “$283 before Original Medicare starts to pay.” Checked October 31, 2026.
34. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Therapy services (CMS.gov, page last modified March 10, 2026). Checked October 31, 2026.
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    Claims above the threshold “must include the KX modifier as a confirmation that services are medically necessary as justified by appropriate documentation in the medical record”; “there is one amount for PT and SLP services combined and a separate amount for OT services”; “Claims for services over the KX modifier threshold amounts without the KX modifier are denied. For CY 2026 this KX modifier threshold amount is: $2,480 for PT and SLP services combined, and $2,480 for OT services”; “the MR threshold is $3,000 for PT and SLP services and $3,000 for OT services,” and “not all claims exceeding the MR threshold amount are subject to review.”
35. HealthCare.gov. What Marketplace health insurance plans cover. Checked October 31, 2026.
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    “All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits,” including “Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills)”; “Specific services covered in each broad benefit category can vary based on your state’s requirements.”
36. American Physical Therapy Association. Levels of Patient Access to Physical Therapist Services in the U.S. “While all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, provide some form of direct access to physical therapist services, the specific provisions and limitations differ across jurisdictions” (data current as of July 2025). Checked October 31, 2026.

Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your individual situation. Get emergency care for numb, pale or blue fingers, a bone through the skin, or a deep cut on the hand.