Hand & Wrist

Get the personalized care you need

Hand and Wrist Care at Winchester Hospital

Hand and wrist injuries can be painful and slow you down. At Winchester Hospital, our hand and wrist specialists can help. They offer both surgical and nonsurgical care to get you the care you need.

A Whole-Person Approach

At Winchester Hospital, we take a whole-person approach to care. Our occupational therapists care for the physical and mental aspects of hand and wrist injuries. Our therapists also work closely with your primary care doctor. We keep them up to date on your treatment and progress. Your doctor can refer you to a hand and wrist surgeon if needed.

Six Weeks to a Better Grip

Winchester Hospital's Six Weeks to a Better Grip program can help you improve use of your hands. This program is especially helpful if you have osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis, sometimes referred to as degenerative arthritis, causes deterioration of cartilage. When present in the hand, osteoarthritis most often affects the small joints of the fingers and the base of the thumb. Over time, it may become harder to use your fingers. This makes it more difficult to do your favorite activities and maintain your independence.

We often hear patients say, “I didn't know anything could be done for arthritis.” Generally, cartilage cannot be restored once it has deteriorated. However, that doesn't mean you can't restore hand function. Improving range of motion and strength — as well as learning how to protect your joints — can improve the use of your hands. Working on hand motion also reduces inflammation and pain, which can stop the progression of osteoarthritis.

Our Six Weeks to a Better Grip program includes:

Comprehensive hand evaluation, including range of motion, strength, pain level and functional status for daily activities. We also assess the need for hand, wrist or thumb splints.
Treatment to improve range of motion and decreasing pain to improve functional activities of daily living.
Exercises to improve functional strength.
Self-care management, or a “joint protection program,” to prevent the progression of osteoarthritis.