A hand therapist is an occupational therapist or physical therapist who specializes in treating patients who have conditions that affect the hands and upper extremity. A hand therapist may also have their certification as a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT). This allows the therapist to effectively treat patients in any stage such as post-operative rehabilitation, preventative, conservative treatment, and industry consultation.
A CHT must have passed their board certification examination that has intricate shoulder, elbow, and hand information to be granted the privilege to use the CHT designation. This level of certification requires three years of experience with a minimum of 4,000 upper extremity rehabilitation practice. To ensure that knowledge on protocols is current, hand therapists must renew their credentials every five years through continued education to maintain their CHT designation.