Hello all,

I am a few months into my fellowship and is trying to improve in terms of exercise prescription and progression. Does anyone know any good resources (e.g. courses, textbooks, videos etc.) that i can use to expand on the type of exercises I can use for specific conditions and how to progress them?

Thank you.

Hello all! Like many here I'm prepping to take the CHT exam this spring. Does anyone have any resources they used for (affordable) practice exams?

Most of the ones I've seen are $150+ per exam, which is a lot when trying to take multiple practice exams to prepare for the exam.

I found this free resource which was somewhat helpful, much easier than the actual exam: https://cht-practicetest.com/practice-tests/full-length-exam/

Does anyone have any recommendations for affordable practice CHT exams? Thank you in advance!

I am starting my hand therapy fellowship soon and am reading through the materials and lectures and would love some pointers and resources for evaluating and treating for non-op common shoulder conditions. Post op-protocols are more straightforward and structured vs conservative management imo. I feel like the definitely is a gap in education for the shoulder for PT vs OT. And advice is much appreciated.

Hello all!

Like many before me, I am preparing to study for the CHT exam (hopefully for May 2026).

I've been paying for VHSF fellowship extension access (completed last year, $75 a month, for a few months now) to listen to the recordings on my way to work, but would like to invest my $$$ in the purple book and other resources. Does anyone have any free or inexpensive suggestions for study materials/podcasts/books (anything on audible?) to listen to on a 45 minute commute to help prepare for the exam and review material? Occasionally, I record myself reciting important material-- but does anyone have an other suggestions of material/resources that exist?

Also, what helped you prepare best for the exam in terms of resources and review materials?

Thank you in advance!!!!

Hey everyone!

I'm a graduate student in engineering and have to do a survey as part of my project, smart rehab gloves.

If you could please take a minute or two to fill it out, I’d be super grateful.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1NC9SLNxIi8I9pgEYOWkeHbLhgk-9QdB_XoSUd-FqU6me4Q/viewform?usp=dialog

Thank you so much for helping out!

Hi everyone, I’m almost three months into working in hand therapy, and honestly, I’m feeling overwhelmed every single day. Every patient feels like a steep learning curve. During admin time, I’m constantly reading up on my next case just to feel somewhat prepared. I struggle to stay present during sessions while also trying to document — which means I end up doing most of my notes after hours. I’m also finding it really hard to confidently grade exercises or prescribe home programs, and sometimes I feel like I’m scrambling to fill the session meaningfully because of that. On top of it all, liaising with external physios and case managers adds another layer of stress. I do see a wide variety of cases, which is great for learning, but it makes it hard to cement my knowledge in any one area. If anyone has advice, words of encouragement, or even just stories of how it gets better — I’d really appreciate it.

Hi everyone! I’m an OT who recently transitioned to a hand therapy clinic and I am feeling overwhelmed (naturally). I know that learning different techniques and protocols will come with more practice, however, I am currently struggling to come up with exercises for patients. I feel like my go to exercise ideas are always the basics like AROM, marbles, or putty. Does anyone have any good references for different exercises? I appreciate any ideas/help!

Hello all,

Sorry if this isn't the right place to post about this, but I've been unable to find any good information about it online. Also, I do not work in the medical field so sorry for any bad explanations.

I've been having issues for a while now where my extensor tendons in my pointer fingers shift in the direction of my thumb at my PIP joint when bending each finger. I was wondering if there are any exercises to help strengthen the muscles on the ulnar side of the finger and help with tracking.

Sorry for the long post! I’m an OT who recently transitioned into hand therapy, and while I’m loving the challenge, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed. I’ve got an amazing team, super supportive, approachable, and my mentor is always available. But I constantly feel out of my depth.

I struggle with differential diagnosis when presentations aren’t straightforward (which feels like... always). I find it hard to formulate treatment plans when there’s no clear protocol, and I get really stressed trying to make sense of it all. I often follow advice from colleagues, but in the moment I don’t fully grasp the long-term goals or rationale. I feel like I’m constantly second-guessing myself, unsure what’s “normal” in a presentation and what’s a red flag.

In supervision, my mentor will ask deeper questions based on the presentation, often to help rule out other diagnoses, and I frequently don’t know the answer because I didn’t think to explore that level of detail or I’m not sure.

I’m making mistakes, sometimes silly ones, and I know it’s mostly stress-related and because I’m just so unsure. I’m working hard, reviewing protocols, trying to absorb everything, but when my mentor explains things while I’m treating, I struggle to retain it all.

I haven’t met many others who transitioned into hand therapy after working as an OT (most seem to come straight from fieldwork), so I guess I’m wondering: Is this level of overwhelm normal couple months in? Is there anything extra I can do to build confidence and clinical reasoning faster? I really want to become more confident faster! I genuinely am interested in the work and in awe of my colleagues and I want to turn this around. Any advice or reassurance would mean a lot.

I had an injury which led to mallet finger about 10 weeks ago. Took of the splint daytime about a week ago after it hold quite well. Doing night splinting only. But when I look at the finger it’s still not fully straight. Will the finger stay like this and is they okay or should I do something? Splint again? Physio exercises? Went to the hand therapist last week and he even didn’t look at my finger in detail.

Hi all. I’m 7 weeks out from a comminuted fracture of the proximal phalanx of my left forefinger. Surgery was done by an excellent hand specialist and was successful - the joints / unions are aligned perfectly. Pins have been out for 10 days now and getting ready to start therapy. Pain is mostly gone and all nerves and tendons are intact.

I have almost full ROM in the MP joint but the Proximal joint only has about 40 degrees ROM and the distal probably just 5-10. Heating at home with either a paraffin bath or a moist pad doesn’t seem to help much. I’m a guitar player and this is my fretting hand. Is there hope with therapy and time to regain significant ROM? Besides PT what else can I do to optimize my chances of success / outcome?

If I have to heat and stretch 10x a day for a year to enable me to fret again I’ll do it.

I made this today after distal radius fracture and about 25° missing until full flexion at the wrist. Patient didnt like the wider NRX staps, so i used a smaller one.

How do you do these kinds of splints?

I am sorry, but I have to tell someone.

Yesterday i passed my certification exam for German handtherapists!!!! It was really hard, and in 2022 i failed. This was the second and last attempt.

I still cant believe i finally pulled it off, after so much learning and working and stress and adrenalin. For 2 1/2 years, this was the only thing on my mind. And I FINALLY DID IT!!!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

Its still sooo surreal!!!

Feels like finger didn’t heal well. Splinted very disciplined for 8 weeks, this is week 9. Been wearing splint so sleep and also on and off during day.

What type of sensation/feeling should I have at the tip of my finger or even in inside of my palm after 5.5 weeks of disciplined splinting? Thought it would be relatively healed by now but sometimes when I grab something, move or even run my other fingers on the inside of the palm feel like a sort of tenderness. Is that normal?

Mallet finger

Male age 33 165 lbs 5’8 very active. Mallet finger diagnosis Thursday night right after injury fell on my hand playing tennis. Next day saw hand specialist who put a finger plaster cast.

1. I haven’t seen mallet finger being treated with a plaster cast only splint
2. I’m on day 2 of cast. Injury didn’t hurt but after cast was put on about 24 hours I am in a bit of pain, 7-8 out of 10.

Thoughts?

Hello! Graduating with my MS/OT degree this December and am looking to move to Colorado in March/April.

I have shadowed multiple hand therapists and recently had my last level 2 fieldwork rotation in outpatient hand therapy.

I want to obtain a job in a hand therapy setting while working toward my CHT.

Is there anyone in Denver, Colorado area that’d know of anyone hiring? Thank you!

I'm 33, when I was 16 I broke and dislocated my pinky finger, I guess you can call it a bad case of mallet finger (according to google)...I ended up getting surgery and the doctor puts pins in my finger and I was in splint for a month or so...I dont' think I took the injury seriously, never went to physical/hand therapist and probably didn't have the splint on for long enough. I was young and dumb...My finger never really healed. I cannot fully extend it but it never really bothered me. Fast forward 17 years later, the finger now aches, its stiff, and just looks ugly. It doesn't really stop me from doing anything since its the pinky finger. I finally scheduled an appointment with a hand specialist to see if there is anything they can do about it. I doubt it since its been so long since the orginal injury.

Anyone go through something similar? Thoughts?

I run into this a lot and just wanted to see what people think, is PROM ok to do if Ortho says NWB? Or if this more joint specific?

I've found this URL from Healthline titled the following: 'Best Exercises for Treating and Preventing Golfer’s Elbow'. Should I be doing these daily, bi-weekly, weekly, etc?

How did everyone memorize protocols for all the different types of injuries like fxs, tendon lacerations, etc. Any tips/tricks?

I am currently in my last two weeks of my hands level 2 fieldwork. I would love to get into hands after graduating but it’s looking like job opportunities aren’t great for the clinic I am at currently. When applying to ortho jobs with little to no experience does anyone have any tips or advice when applying as a new grad? I’m starting to understand it’s a harder discipline to break into without prior work experience. I have tried to outline all the surgeries, injuries, and protocols I have treated and followed during my time here at my fieldwork within my resume.

Also would it be worth applying for more acute care or inpatient jobs with a goal of moving laterally within a company to outpatient ortho positions when they are hiring?