I've observed a variety of settings of OT and I think hand therapy is something that I want to specialize in when I become an OT. I like the fact that the settings for hand therapy are mostly outpatient (at least for me, outpatient is less emotionally draining than inpatient) and everything from tendon glides to splinting fascinates me. The only thing that I'm concerned about, though, is the "massage" treatment that is always included in the session. I don't know if they did this because it was a private clinic, but each session ALWAYS included a part where the OT or a COTA rubs lotion and bengay cream (or something that smelled like bengay anyway) all over the patients' hand and give them an intense massage for 5-10 minutes. I have VERY small hands (I've seen some kids with hands that are bigger than mine) and while I'm not too worried about lifting patients using my entire upper extremities, I know my fingers will DEFINITELY not be able to handle giving such massages.... Is "massaging" a crucial part of hand therapy?
Other OT-Related Information Is massaging an essential part of hand therapy?
- Thread starter Chris1004
- Start date
Yes.
It definitely is. Massaging has different purposes in the hand clinic: to reduce edema, to stimulate blood flow for more healing, to flatten/soften scar tissue, to reduce tightness in trouble areas, etc. While there are tools that you can use to help protect your fingers during massage, using your own hands are the best because you will be able to feel the tightness/inflammation/what not better with your fingertips than with a tool.
I only work in a hand clinic half time, and there are definitely days when my thumbs feel the brunt of all the massaging I did that day. I believe hand problems are pretty much a given for hand therapists who stay in the field long enough.
It definitely is. Massaging has different purposes in the hand clinic: to reduce edema, to stimulate blood flow for more healing, to flatten/soften scar tissue, to reduce tightness in trouble areas, etc. While there are tools that you can use to help protect your fingers during massage, using your own hands are the best because you will be able to feel the tightness/inflammation/what not better with your fingertips than with a tool.
I only work in a hand clinic half time, and there are definitely days when my thumbs feel the brunt of all the massaging I did that day. I believe hand problems are pretty much a given for hand therapists who stay in the field long enough.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2016
- Messages
- 242
- Reaction score
- 205
It's "soft tissue mobilization". After all it's a skilled service, RIGHT? 
Yes, you do tons of it in hand therapy. It's practically an assembly line of massages and modalities, but you need to have knowledge to know what to do. I don't want to be too hard on aspiring CHTs: follow your dreams. If you're meant to be a hand therapist, follow that dream! You won't be seeing a lot of traditional OT patients in most hand therapy settings.
Yes, you do tons of it in hand therapy. It's practically an assembly line of massages and modalities, but you need to have knowledge to know what to do. I don't want to be too hard on aspiring CHTs: follow your dreams. If you're meant to be a hand therapist, follow that dream! You won't be seeing a lot of traditional OT patients in most hand therapy settings.
I agree with the above posting but I will say this: massage is not all myofascial release/intense pressure types. Lymphatic massage is VERY light. For scar tissue tools are often used that cause vibration forces over the tissue instead of the therapists hands.
We used this tool all the time in the hand therapy clinic and the patients LOVE it: Amazon product
Interestingly enough, this clinic also has a full time certified massage therapist on the staff. Patient are allowed to pay privately for massages at any time. He also does many duties that a OT tech would (checking machines, ordering supplies) but he is used by the OTs for massage. It was a pretty big deal getting him cleared by the hospital to provide massage under OT (they went to the practice act and figured out that the hospital would allow the OTs to bill it as a manual charge only if the massage therapist was directly supervised during the massage). The older OT on staff typically does not do massage herself and sets up the patient with the massage therapist.
Point being - there are options. Get some more CEU/training in massage before you assume you can't do it.
We used this tool all the time in the hand therapy clinic and the patients LOVE it: Amazon product
Interestingly enough, this clinic also has a full time certified massage therapist on the staff. Patient are allowed to pay privately for massages at any time. He also does many duties that a OT tech would (checking machines, ordering supplies) but he is used by the OTs for massage. It was a pretty big deal getting him cleared by the hospital to provide massage under OT (they went to the practice act and figured out that the hospital would allow the OTs to bill it as a manual charge only if the massage therapist was directly supervised during the massage). The older OT on staff typically does not do massage herself and sets up the patient with the massage therapist.
Point being - there are options. Get some more CEU/training in massage before you assume you can't do it.
