Hand physiotherapy treatments in Edmonton and Sherwood Park
HAND CLINIC
Your hands are your most valuable tool. You need them every day to pull wrenches, comfort your child, handle your hockey stick, pet your dog or cook dinner for your family. You need them do to what matters to you. Our Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) understand how important your hands are and have the expertise you need to regain function and live your life to the fullest.
Our CHTs are occupational therapists who have completed advanced education in the treatment of all types of shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand injuries and are certified with the Hand Therapy Certification Commission. They are passionate about their work and offer skills that are hard to find elsewhere in Alberta.
WHAT KIND OF INJURIES ARE TREATED BY CERTIFIED HAND THERAPISTS?
TRAUMATIC
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Amputation
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Boutonniere Deformity
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Crush finger/hand
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Degloving injuries
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Fracture
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Frostbite
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Gamekeeper’s thumb
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Hypertrophic scarring
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Ligament injury
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Mallet finger (droop finger)
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Nerve compression/impingement
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Pediatric Hand Injuries
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Pulley injury
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Sagittal band injury
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Skier’s thumb
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Strains and sprains
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Swan neck deformity
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TFCC injury
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Volar plate/dislocated finger
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Wrist pain
CHRONIC/
DEGENERATIVE
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
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Dupuytren’s Disease
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Golfer’s Elbow
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Intersection syndrome
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Osteoarthritis
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Tennis Elbow
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Trigger Finger
SURGICAL
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Extensor tendon repair
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Fixated fractures
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Flexor tendon repair
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Joint arthroplasty (joint replacement)
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Joint fusion
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Nerve transfer
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Neurovascular repair
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Skin grafts and flaps
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Tenolysis
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Wrist reconstruction
WHAT SERVICES DO CERTIFIED HAND THERAPISTS OFFER?
CUSTOM ORTHOSES
Custom orthoses, also known as splints, are a specialty of hand therapy and often have a central part in the treatment of hand and wrist injuries. Whether you need to rest your hand or wrist to let it heal or need an extra stretch to gain movement, your CHT will fabricate the perfect orthoses for your specific needs.
Most orthoses are made of low temperature thermoplastic and molded directly on your hand. They provide a perfect fit and exact contouring of your hand and wrist allowing for maximal support and comfort. They are fabricated in the clinic during your appointment and you can take them home the same day.
We offer competitive pricing compared to off-the-shelf braces while creating your own custom fit. Orthoses are covered by most extended health benefit plans but may require a doctor prescription to be eligible for submission.
CASTING
Did you sustain an injury to your finger that left it stuck in a bent position? Do you have a scar that is red, hard and raised and wish to reduce it? Do you have a stiff wrist or elbow and wish you had more movement?
If any of these scenarios sound like something you are experiencing, casting might be the solution for you. Plaster of Paris casting has long been replaced by fiberglass for acute injuries seen in the emergency department but it is still a powerful tool used by CHTs to correct finger deformities, reduce stiffness and so much more.
Plaster of Paris has specific properties that help gently elongate tissue allowing for improved joint movement and soft tissue pliability. Our CHTs use Plaster of Paris, the classic white casting material, with a variety of techniques including serial casting, contact casting and Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness (CMMS).
MANUAL THERAPY & EXERCISES
Manual therapy is the hands-on portion of hand therapy and physiotherapy. It is a core element of treatment and includes joint mobilisation and manipulation, soft tissue mobilisation and myofascial release. Your therapist will use a variety of techniques to help you move better and improve your pain.
Manual therapy alone will however only get you so far. Your CHT will also develop your personalized exercise program that you are responsible for completing at home. We believe in an active and collaborative approach to treatment. Remember, we are a team! Your CHT will work with you to figure out an exercise program that works for you and can be realistically included in your daily life.
POST-SURGICAL THERAPY
Hand surgery requires highly skilled therapy to ensure optimal outcome. Our CHTs work with some of Edmonton’s best plastic surgeons to treat post-surgical conditions ranging from a finger fracture to complicated mangled hand injuries and everything in between.
We work closely with your surgeon and use the latest research in hand therapy to develop the best possible treatment plan for you. Our team understands the impact a hand injury can have on your life and adding the complexity of a surgery to it can be frightening. We are here to guide you through every step of your recovery making sure you have the best team by your side.
PEDIATRIC PENCIL GRASP
Efficient and proper pencil grasp is a skill that develops around the ages of 4 to 6.5 and is used for our entire life. Many factors can lead to improper pencil grasp in children. Signs of difficulties include trouble coloring or tracing lines, complaints of a tired or sore hand with prolonged use of a pencil and awkward or slouched posture when writing.
This service is provided by our occupational therapists/certified hand therapists and assesses your child’s writing and fine motor skills, posture, strength and more to determine which strategies can be used to improve their performance. Our occupational therapists have created fun and stimulating activities to engage your child in their program. We can also communicate with your child’s teacher to facilitate implementation of strategies in the classroom.
To learn more, jump over to our blog section to read "How to Help Your Child With Pencil Grasp?".
SENSORY & MOTOR RE-EDUCATION
Do you regularly wake up to tingly fingers? Do you shake your hands after using a keyboard or tools for a while? Is your funny bone sensitive all the time? If any of these sound like you, a nerve compression may be the culprit.
Nerve compressions or nerve impingements are common in the upper extremity and can be located at multiple points between your neck and your hand. Our CHTs and physiotherapists know how to pinpoint the compression site and have the tools relieve your symptoms.
Nerves can also become hypersensitive after an injury or surgery. Hands that are too sensitive or don’t quite feel right make life difficult and can put you at risk of further injuries. Our CHTs use special desensitization and sensory re-education techniques to help you feel textures, pressure and temperature more accurately.
RETURN TO FUNCTION
Whether you are an electrician who needs a powerful grip, a rock climber who needs strong mobile arms or a pianist who needs precise and flexible fingers, our CHTs and physiotherapists are here to help you get back to what matters.
Strength and dexterity are two very important components of hand and arm function. The demands of your day-to-day activities will determine how strong and how agile your hands need to be. Your therapist will create an exercise program specific to your current abilities to build strength and regain function.