Dr. Charles Wong D.O.
Hand Therapy
The importance of “Hand Therapy”
cannot be stressed enough. Rehabilitation after an injury or an operation is usually what defines the level of return to function. Hand therapy may be performed on your own after instruction from Dr.Wong. Alternatively, if you request therapy or if Dr.Wong strongly feels you will benefit from spending time with a therapist, you will be referred.
Hand therapy is defined by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission as:
Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder girdle. It is a merging of occupational therapy and physical therapy theory and practice that combines comprehensive knowledge of the structure of the upper limb with function and activity. Using specialized skills in assessment, planning and treatment, hand therapists provide therapeutic intervention to prevent dysfunction, restore function and / or reverse the progression of pathology of the upper limb in order to enhance an individual’s ability to execute tasks and to participate fully in life situations.
Hand therapists may be credentialed as Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, or both. They may or may not be certified. Depending on the level of complexity of your condition and the duration of which you will likely need rehabilitation, Dr.Wong will determine to whom you will be referred. Regardless, you will receive only the care that exceeds your expectations from a team hand-picked by Dr.Wong.
Despite your and your therapist’s best efforts, we occasionally see results that don’t meet our expectations. This can occur for many reasons. You are encouraged to voice your concerns and expectations to Dr.Wong, knowing that he will be honest with you from the beginning in regards to your expected outcome. If there is anything he feels will change or better your final outcome, he will address it with you.
Our age is of no consequence, we need our hands for enjoying life, for performing activities of daily living, and most importantly for maintaining our independence. Thus the importance of hand therapy is evident and it is something you must commit to in order to achieve an excellent result. It is by no means easy or even pleasant, but as with anything in life, nothing worth having comes easy. You will likely spend a lot of time with your therapist and for this reason it is essential that you feel comfortable with them. If for any reason you are not, you must let Dr.Wong know immediately so that you may be referred to another provider. The window for regaining meaningful function often closes quickly, thus you cannot “skip” therapy thinking you will get to it later.
Further information here!
