What Qualifications Do Hand Therapists Have?
Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:51If you have a hand injury and seek treatment, you may end up in a physical or occupational health center being treated by a hand therapist. While you sit there receiving treatments, you might wonder what training they’ve received before working on you.
Hand therapists have to demonstrate the following experience to receive certification:
- A demonstrated 5 years working as an occupational or physical therapist
- A current credential to practice
- Direct practice in hand therapy of at least 4,000 hours
- Passing of an examination
- A re-certification every five years
Given that therapists need 4,000 hours direct experience, it’s likely that not all practicing hand therapists out there are certified, but according to the above, they do have a certification in occupational or physical therapy at the least. Of the 4966 certified Hand Therapists worldwide, 4742 of them are in the U.S., according to the Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC).
So, what exactly is the job description of the Hand Therapist? The HTCC has a published mission statement for its practitioners, defining the expertise its therapists offer. Here is a summary:
Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper quarter of the human body.
- a merging of occupational therapy and physical therapy
- requires comprehensive knowledge of the body and its functions
- requires knowledge of specialized skills in assessment, treatment, the prevention of dysfunction, restoration of function, and reversal of pathology
Naturally, these therapists work on many more problems than repetitive stress injuries. Broken fingers, arthritis, and other pathologies — anything that pertains to the hands or arms — falls under their domain.
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