Raven Hill Certified Hand Therapy Occupational Therapy Downeast Maine 04605

Why Certified Hand Therapy?

Raven Hill Integrated Therapies, LLC is the only rehabilitation practice on the Down East coast, including all of Waldo, Hancock and Washington counties, which provides Certified Hand Therapy. Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) are the acknowledged experts in rehabilitative care of pathological conditions affecting the body's upper quarter. Many orthopedic surgeons insist that their patients be treated by certified hand therapists following surgery.

Becoming a certified hand therapist is completely voluntary, and normally involves considerable investment in time and expense on the part of the therapist. Designation as a CHT requires an occupational therapist to have been in practice for at minimum of five years, and to have amassed at least 4,000 hours of direct patient care of the upper body. The candidate must then sit for a challenging written examination which establishes the therapist's mastery of the latest techniques of upper quarter rehabilitation.

If the therapist is successful at challenging the examination, certification is awarded by the Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC), the only body in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia or New Zealand which awards such certification.

CHTs stay current in the profession and have a comprehensive knowledge of the intricate anatomy of the upper extremity. They have intimate familiarity with advanced surgical techniques and post-operative programs. CHTs have the clinical expertise to effectively manage injuries and medical conditions throughout the entire upper extremity.

CHTs are highly skilled in evaluating and managing:

* Wounds & scars * Sensibility

* Edema * Activities of daily living

* Strength & endurance * Dexterity

* Pain * Rotator cuff injuries

* Range of motion * Recreational activities

* Skin grafts * Joint contractions

* Amputations * Nerve compressions

* Arthritis * Nerve injuries

* Burns * Work activities

* Fractures & dislocations * Impingement syndrome

* Sprains & strains * Tendonitis

* Infections &wounds * Tendon injuries

It costs no more to see a Certified Hand Therapist than it does to see a therapist who is not certified. In fact, costs can actually be lower because the CHT is more likely to identify and use treatment which is more effective and efficient.