Key Takeaways
- Hand therapy is a specialty within occupational and physical therapy that restores function to the upper extremity, including the fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
- The most qualified providers are Certified Hand Therapists (CHT), an advanced credential requiring years of clinical experience and a rigorous exam, and it is open to both occupational and physical therapists.
- Hand therapy helps people recovering from or living with conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, trigger finger, tennis or golfer's elbow, fractures, sprains, arthritis, post-surgical recovery, and tendon or nerve injuries.
- Treatment commonly includes custom orthoses or splints to protect healing tissue, manual therapy for stiffness and scar tissue, therapeutic exercise, swelling and pain management, and ergonomic training to prevent re-injury.
- Recovery timelines depend on the diagnosis, ranging from a few weeks for mild tendonitis to several months after surgery or a significant injury.
Our hands do almost everything — and when injury, surgery, or a condition limits them, it affects every part of daily life. Hand therapy is a specialized field that restores function to the hand, wrist, and arm.
What Is Hand Therapy?
Hand therapy is a specialty within occupational and physical therapy focused on the upper extremity — fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The most qualified providers are Certified Hand Therapists (CHT), an advanced credential requiring years of experience and a rigorous exam. They blend rehabilitation science with practical, daily-function goals.
Who Needs Hand Therapy?
Hand therapy helps people recovering from or living with:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve compressions.
- Tendonitis, trigger finger, and tennis/golfer's elbow.
- Fractures, sprains, and post-surgical recovery.
- Arthritis affecting the hands.
- Tendon or nerve injuries, and complex regional pain.
What to Expect
A hand therapist evaluates your range of motion, strength, swelling, sensation, and how the injury affects your daily activities. They create a plan that often includes custom splinting or orthoses, hands-on techniques like joint mobilization, and a progressive home exercise program. Recovery timelines depend on the diagnosis — from a few weeks for mild tendonitis to several months after surgery.
Types of Treatment
Hand therapy includes:
- Custom orthoses/splints to protect and position healing tissue.
- Manual therapy for stiffness and scar tissue.
- Therapeutic exercise for motion, strength, and dexterity.
- Edema (swelling) and pain management.
- Activity modification and ergonomic training to prevent re-injury.
How to Find a Hand Therapist
Seek a therapist with the CHT credential or substantial upper-extremity experience. Ask about their experience with your specific diagnosis, whether they fabricate custom splints in-house, and insurance coverage. Hand therapy is most often delivered by occupational therapists.
Find Hand Therapy 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
8 practices in the DrSensory directory name hand or upper-extremity therapy among their services (1 PT, 7 OT), across 8 states. This is a small part of the directory so far.
Georgia1 practice
- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) — Occupational Therapy — Atlanta, GA · OT
Kansas1 practice
- Advanced Physical Therapy (APT) — Pediatric OT — Wichita, KS · OT
Louisiana1 practice
- Bright Start NOLA — New Orleans, LA · OT
Missouri1 practice
- Children's Mercy Kansas City — Outpatient Therapy — Kansas City, MO · OT
New York1 practice
- Precision Rehab (OT/PT/Hand Therapy, P.L.L.C.) — New York, NY · PT
Texas1 practice
- Cook Children's Rehabilitation — Occupational Therapy — Fort Worth, TX · OT
Each practice 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 practice’s credentials, licensure or insurance. Browse all occupational therapy practices.
Does your practice offer hand therapy?
List your practice in the directory and reach more families.
List your business →Related resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a certified hand therapist (CHT)?
A CHT is an occupational or physical therapist who has earned an advanced credential in upper-extremity rehabilitation, requiring years of clinical experience and passing a rigorous exam. It signals deep expertise in hand, wrist, and arm conditions.
What conditions does hand therapy treat?
Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, trigger finger, fractures and sprains, arthritis, post-surgical recovery, and tendon or nerve injuries of the hand, wrist, and arm.
Is hand therapy OT or PT?
Both occupational and physical therapists can specialize in hand therapy, but it's most commonly provided by occupational therapists. The CHT credential is open to both professions.
How long does hand therapy take to work?
It depends on the condition — mild tendonitis may improve in a few weeks, while recovery after surgery or a significant injury can take several months of consistent therapy and home exercise.
Do I need a referral for hand therapy?
Many states allow direct access to therapy, but some insurers require a physician referral for coverage, especially after surgery. Check your plan and state rules.
Will I get a custom splint?
Often, yes. Custom orthoses are a hallmark of hand therapy — they protect healing tissue, reduce pain, and support function. Many hand therapists fabricate them in-house.
Sources
- American Society of Hand Therapists. What We Do. asht.org. Checked 7 September 2026. “A hand therapist is a nationally registered occupational therapist or physical therapist who, through advanced continuing education, clinical experience and integration of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology, has become proficient in treatment of pathological upper-quadrant conditions resulting from trauma, disease, or congenital or acquired deformity.” On the credential: “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.” Source for the CHT being open to both professions and requiring years of experience and an exam. It does not establish how many CHTs are occupational rather than physical therapists.
- 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). Worth knowing before you start looking: working from the Hand Therapy Certification Commission’s own list of every active CHT through April 2016, the authors counted 5,572 CHTs whose practice ZIP code areas covered “just 9% of the total number of 33,120 US ZCTAs,” concentrated in urban areas with lower poverty rates. A CHT may not be within easy reach, which is why the page also says to look for substantial upper-extremity experience.
- 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). For orthoses in thumb-base arthritis specifically, the honest summary: “low-quality evidence for reducing pain in the long term and moderate evidence for an increase in function in the long term.” Splinting is a hallmark of hand therapy, but the evidence behind it is graded modest rather than strong.
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 child.