You slipped, you tripped, and you fell. Now you have a hand injury that just won't go away. Whether you had this type of accident, have a chronic condition, need surgery, or have a sports-related strain, occupational therapy (specifically, hand therapy) can help you to heal. If you're considering this type of treatment, check out the benefits it brings.
Easier Everyday Tasks
Occupational therapy helps you get back to your normal daily routine. Whether you're a student, a stay-at-home mom, work, or retired, you don't want your injury to prevent you from doing what you usually do. The occupational therapist will assess what you can and need to do. They'll create a treatment plan that helps you to get back into your daily activities. This may mean including some of those activities in the hand therapy itself or helping you to use adaptive devices at home (or work).
Pain Management Without Meds
Okay, so in some cases you may need some level of prescription or over-the-counter pain medication. But, the therapy will help you to get back on track with less medication than you would otherwise need. Hand therapy gives you the understanding and tools that you need to handle the discomfort you're feeling in a natural way. This may mean using specific exercises or devices that the therapist recommends.
A Non-Surgical Option
In some cases, surgery is necessary. There's just no way around it. But, then there are times when the doctor feels that with proper therapy you can get back to your normal range of function without a trip to the OR. Hand therapy can help to restore your range of motion and decrease physical discomfort over time. Even though it might not give you results in the same timeframe as surgery would (you'll have to do some work here), it's a conservative option that doesn't involve a hospital stay, anesthesia, or the other not-so-pleasant parts of an operation.
Personalized Treatment
Your occupational therapist will create a personalized plan to treat you and your injury. Every patient is different and has different needs. Even though you might have the same type of injury or condition as another patient, you don't necessarily have the same goals for treatment. Hand therapy is a custom treatment option, where the therapist works with you to incorporate your life into your therapy.
Occupational therapy is a non-surgical way to get you back to living life again. From making your regular routine easier to getting back to your job, this type of therapy can give your hand the chance it needs to recover, heal, and get back into top shape.
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