Occupational and hand therapy are key to helping you regain the ability to perform everyday tasks with confidence. Whether you're recovering from an injury, surgery or managing a long-term condition, therapy can help restore strength, mobility and independence.
Occupational therapy, hand therapy + neurological occupational therapy for everyday independence
We are here to support you as you recover, regain confidence and live more independently. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, surgery or managing a condition, we offer therapies tailored to your unique needs. Here’s how we can support you:
- Occupational therapy: Get back to doing what matters most, like dressing, cooking and working, especially after an injury or surgery. We focus on making everyday tasks easier and helping you regain your independence.
- Hand therapy: This specialized therapy targets the hands, wrists and arms to treat conditions like carpal tunnel, fractures and tendonitis. Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) have advanced training and expertise to provide specialized care for your upper extremities.
- Neurological occupational therapy: For those recovering from brain injuries, strokes or neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis, this therapy helps improve movement, coordination, memory and independence.
Our therapies may include targeted exercises, custom splints, adaptive tools and proven techniques. Every therapy plan is designed specifically for you, ensuring a path to recovery that works with your unique lifestyle and goals.
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Conditions
We provide therapy for a wide range of conditions, helping individuals regain strength, mobility and independence. At Tufts Medicine, you can rest assured that our experienced therapists work with you to create a personalized plan, no matter what you’re facing. Here are some of the conditions we treat:
- Arthritis: We help manage pain, improve joint function and teach strategies to stay active and independent.
- Cardiovascular conditions: We help manage the effects of heart-related issues, focusing on improving stamina, circulation and energy for daily activities.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: Treatment includes relieving pressure on the median nerve and restoring hand function.
- Edema management: Therapy focuses on reducing swelling and improving comfort and function, often after injury or surgery.
- Fractures or bone injuries: After fractures or bone injuries, we assist with healing, strength building and regaining mobility.
- Golfers' elbow: We treat this overuse injury with exercises and tools that relieve pain and improve movement in the elbow and forearm.
- Hand injuries and disorders: Our specialized hand therapy addresses conditions such as sprains, strains, tendon injuries and complex fractures to restore function.
- Joint replacement: We help with rehabilitation after joint replacement surgeries, ensuring you regain mobility and strength.
- Lymphedema: Our certified lymphedema therapists help reduce swelling, improve comfort and teach techniques for long-term management.
- Neurological conditions: For conditions like Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and brain injuries, our therapy helps with motor skills, coordination and memory. We also assist with adaptive techniques to improve daily activities.
- Post-surgery recovery: After surgery, we help you regain strength, mobility and confidence in performing everyday tasks.
- Sports injuries: Whether from overuse or acute injury, we provide rehab to get you back in action and prevent future injuries.
- Stroke recovery: Our therapy focuses on regaining motor skills, improving strength and helping individuals with stroke-related challenges regain their independence.
- Tendonitis and tendinopathy: We work on reducing inflammation and improving flexibility and strength in the affected tendons.
- Tennis elbow: This condition is treated with exercises, rest and strategies to reduce strain and support healing.
- Visual problems: Therapy can help you adapt your environment and daily tasks to manage vision changes and improve safety.
- Work-related injuries: We assist individuals in recovering from injuries sustained at work, helping them get back to their routine with less pain and greater function.
- Wound healing and scar management: We offer specialized care to promote wound healing and minimize scar tissue buildup. Using hands-on techniques and custom splints, we work to improve skin mobility and reduce discomfort after injury or surgery.
Testing
To provide the most effective therapy, we begin with thorough assessments to understand your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan. These assessments help us identify the specific areas that need attention, ensuring each treatment is tailored to your unique needs. Depending on your situation, we may offer the following tests:
- Functional tests: We assess your ability to perform everyday activities such as dressing, cooking or working. This helps us understand how your condition affects your daily life and pinpoint areas for improvement in your therapy plan.
- Pain assessments: Our goal is to help you reduce discomfort and improve quality of life. These assessments measure your pain levels, identifying the source and severity of pain, so we can create a treatment strategy focused on alleviating it.
- Physical assessments: These tests evaluate your strength, range of motion and overall functionality. We look at how well you move and perform basic tasks to identify areas where you may need additional support or rehabilitation.
- Sensory evaluations: Changes in sensation can significantly impact your daily life. Our sensory evaluations assess any loss of feeling or changes in touch perception. This allows us to address specific issues such as numbness or tingling and help restore proper sensation.
These tests help ensure your therapy is well-rounded and tailored to your unique needs, ultimately promoting greater independence and improving overall quality of life.
Treatments
Your treatment will be carefully tailored to your specific needs, designed to help you regain independence and confidence in your daily life. Whether you're recovering from an injury, surgery or managing a chronic condition, our goal is to help you get back to doing the things you love.
We believe that recovery is an empowering journey and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our team is dedicated to creating a positive, motivating environment where you feel encouraged and confident in your progress. With personalized care and ongoing support, we help you stay focused on achieving your goals and celebrating your success.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy helps you regain the skills needed for everyday tasks. Depending on your needs, treatments may include:
- Adaptive techniques: We teach you ways to make daily tasks like dressing, cooking or driving easier. This may involve using tools or adjusting how tasks are done to reduce strain and increase independence.
- Ergonomics: Learning how to set up your workspace or home environment to prevent injury and make tasks more comfortable.
- Sensory training: Exercises to help improve or restore feeling in body parts affected by injury or illness, such as your hands or feet.
- Therapeutic exercises: Targeted exercises to build strength, improve flexibility and increase coordination. These help you move better and perform daily activities more easily.
- Wound and scar management: Special techniques to help heal after injuries or surgery and reduce scar tissue that may affect movement.
Hand therapy
Hand therapy focuses on healing and restoring function in the hands, wrists and arms. Treatments include:
- Adaptive devices: Tools to help with tasks like writing, eating or gripping objects, making daily activities easier.
- Hand splints: Custom splints to protect injured areas, reduce pain and help restore normal movement.
- Manual therapy: Hands-on techniques to improve joint mobility and reduce stiffness, pain or swelling in the hands and wrists.
- Scar and wound care: Techniques to reduce scarring and help wounds heal faster, allowing for better hand movement.
- Strengthening exercises: Targeted exercises to strengthen the muscles in the hands, wrists and arms to improve dexterity and function.
- Therapeutic exercises: Activities to improve flexibility, coordination and strength in the hands and wrists, helping restore function and movement.
Neurological occupational therapy
Neurological occupational therapy helps people recovering from brain injuries, strokes or conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Treatments include:
- Adaptive techniques: New ways to perform tasks like dressing, eating or driving with the help of tools, changes in posture or other adjustments.
- Assistive equipment: Special devices to help with mobility or other daily activities, like walking aids or adaptive tools for the kitchen or bathroom.
- Cognitive support: Strategies to improve memory, focus and problem-solving abilities, which may have been affected by neurological conditions.
- Memory and cognitive exercises: Activities to boost cognitive skills, helping you stay organized and remember important information.
- Movement exercises: Specific exercises to improve coordination, balance and strength, helping you regain control over your body and daily movements.
FAQs
What is the difference between occupational therapy and hand therapy?
Occupational therapy helps people perform everyday tasks like dressing, eating or bathing. Hand therapy is a specialized form of occupational therapy focused on treating conditions affecting the hands, wrists and arms. Not all occupational therapists specialize in hand therapy.
Are all hand therapists Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs)?
While many hand therapists are Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs), not all are. CHTs have passed an exam and completed additional training in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation.
What can I expect during a hand therapy session?
During your session, a therapist will evaluate your condition and create a treatment plan. You may work on exercises, use splints or learn strategies to make daily tasks easier. The goal is to improve your hand function and reduce pain.
What is neurological occupational therapy?
Neurological occupational therapy helps people recovering from brain injuries, strokes or neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. It focuses on improving movement, coordination, memory and independence in daily tasks.
How long will I need occupational therapy?
The length of therapy depends on the severity of your condition. Your occupational therapist will create a personalized plan and adjust it as you make progress.
How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy?
Occupational therapy focuses on helping individuals regain the skills needed for daily tasks, like dressing, cooking or working, often after injury or illness. It emphasizes improving independence and quality of life. Physical therapy primarily focuses on enhancing strength, mobility and physical function, particularly after injuries or surgeries. While both therapies aim to improve overall function, occupational therapy targets the practical skills needed for daily living, whereas physical therapy emphasizes restoring movement and strength.
Why would I need multiple therapies (occupational therapy, physical therapy and hand therapy) at the same time?
You might need 2 or 3 therapies at the same time if you're recovering from an injury or surgery.
- Occupational therapy helps with daily tasks like dressing, cooking or working, focusing on independence.
- Physical therapy improves mobility, strength and coordination.
- Hand therapy specifically targets the hands, wrists and arms, restoring function after injuries or surgeries.
If you're facing challenges with movement or daily activities, these therapies can work together to support a full recovery.
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