Skip to content
  • About
  • PT/OT
  • Work Comp
  • Clinics
  • Blog
  • Contact
Menu
  • About
  • PT/OT
  • Work Comp
  • Clinics
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • June 15, 2017
  • Certified Hand Therapy, Occupational Therapy

Certified Hand Therapists: Helping People Live Their Lives

“The hand is so critical to every minute of our daily lives that when you lose function of it your world is turned upside down. At ARC Physical Therapy+ we work with people to restore their ability to use their hands and arms everyday in a way that is meaningful to them.”

  • Jan Taylor, ARC Physical Therapy+’s OT Fellowship Director and OT Resource Coordinator

The history of hand therapy

While the practice of hand therapy dates back to World War II when Orthopedic and Plastic Surgeons were trained to treat soldiers with upper quarter injuries and began working with therapists in military hospitals, it wasn’t until the 1970s that hand therapy took off. Thanks to advanced hand surgical techniques, surgeons sought therapists who could provide advanced therapy and help their patients recover.

The roots of Certified Hand Therapy

In 1975, at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting, six Occupational and Physical Therapist’s recognized the need for specialization in the field of hand therapy to achieve the best results. They created the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) and got to work sharing ideas, expanding the practice and completing research.

As part of that they developed a certification and in 1991 the inaugural Hand Therapy Certification Examination was administered, marking the designation of the first group of Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs).

Today, in order to take the grueling certification examination, which has only a 60% pass rate and demonstrates knowledge of all areas of hand therapy, therapists must:

  • Have graduated with a degree in Physical or Occupational Therapy
  • Have worked in the field for three years
  • Completed 4,000 hours of hand therapy practice (upper extremity rehabilitation)

What is hand therapy?

According to the ASHT, “Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle.”

A hand therapy specialist provides:

  • Accurate assessments, immediate care and effective treatment to reduce treatment time
  • A continuum of care eliminating the need for multiple medical providers
  • Faster recovery results in decreased medical costs
  • Functional outcomes ensuring a faster return to work and productive lifestyle
  • The most comprehensive care for their patients

 What do hand therapists treat?

A hand therapist provides care for patients with a diversity of upper extremity disorders and injuries.

Diagnoses include:

  • Post-surgical recovery
  • Nerve related issues such as carpal tunnel release
  • Bone-related injuries such as fractures
  • Soft tissue injuries such as crush injuries
  • Amputations and burns
  • Tendon injuries such as a cut finger, cumulative trauma or a repetitive use injury

Hand therapy at ARC Physical Therapy+

Among those taking the inaugural certification exam in 1991 was Jan Taylor who today serves as ARC Physical Therapy+’s OT Fellowship Director and OT Resource Coordinator.

She explained what makes ARC Physical Therapy+ different:

  • A commitment to excellence: The OT Fellowship Program, a mentoring program, which guides all OTs in their CHT certification process.
  • The OT Fellowship Program includes dedicated education: OTs set aside 4 hours each month for education where they teach each other, complete required surgery observations and attend their patient’s physician office consultations.

CHTs: Making a difference for patients

As Jan explained, “we use our hands for everything: from feeding ourselves to taking care of our kids. A hand injury often makes those things impossible, which is why we are dedicated to restoring our patients back to their previous abilities. Whether it’s peeling a potato, holding the hand of loved one or going back to work, we work with each individual to customize a plan that gets them back to the level of function they need.”

Blog Categories

  • ARC Physical Therapy+ (220)
  • Certified Hand Therapy (25)
  • Occupational Therapy (27)
  • Physical Therapy (42)
  • Success Stories (18)
  • Workers' Compensation (26)

Tag Cloud

Belton (6) Blue Springs (5) Cameron (8) Certified Hand Therapy (2) CHT Fellowship Program (7) Clinic News (14) Gladstone (5) Independence (7) Joplin (7) Kansas City - KS (13) Kearney (1) Leadership (38) Lebanon (1) Lee's Summit (9) Lenexa (8) Liberty (7) Manhattan (9) Maryville (8) Midtown (8) North Kansas City (11) Olathe (9) Onsite Services (16) Overland Park (15) Platte City (6) Shawnee (12) South Kansas City (11) Springdale (3) Springfield (9) St. Joseph (4) Staff Spotlight (66) Tiffany Springs (6) Topeka (11) Vestibular/Concussion Therapy (6) Wichita - East (9) Wichita - South (9) Wichita - West (9) Work Conditioning (7)
PrevPreviousARC Physical Therapy+ Defined: Value, Quality, the Best
NextThe Power of the McKenzie MethodNext

Related Posts

Hand Therapy CHT
  • Certified Hand Therapy ·
  • January 8, 2023|
  • 0 comments|
Certified Hand Therapy Fellowship Program
At ARC Physical Therapy+, we are committed to being a leader in the hand therapy space. One way we demonstrate that commitment is through our […]
Hand Therapy Tool
  • Certified Hand Therapy ·
  • September 29, 2022|
  • 0 comments|
What to Expect at Your First Certified Hand Therapy Appointment
Because your hands are so important, we understand you may be nervous about who treats yours and how. Hand therapists are occupational or physical therapist […]
  • Success Stories ·
  • September 28, 2022|
  • 0 comments|
Work Comp Patient: “This has truly been life changing”
We recently had a workers’ compensation patient in our Shawnee clinic. She was referred by her employer to complete the S.T.R.I.V.E. (Strength Training and Rehabilitation for Increased Vocational Effectiveness) Work Conditioning Program.
ARC Physical Therapy+ Locations
  • Kansas City
  • Northwest AR
  • Northwest MO
  • Southwest MO
  • Topeka/Manhattan
  • Wichita
Menu
  • Kansas City
  • Northwest AR
  • Northwest MO
  • Southwest MO
  • Topeka/Manhattan
  • Wichita
Providers
Patient Resources
Pay Bill
Careers

ARC Physical Therapy+    |   844-755-4272  |  Email: info@arcpt.com

© 2023 ARC Physical Therapy+. All Rights Reserved.

Facebook-f Linkedin-in Instagram