Recommended in Edmonton
Hand Clinic
Advanced Health Physio provides certified hand therapy in Edmonton for carpal tunnel, arthritis, and post-surgical recovery, as well as less common conditions, at our South Edmonton clinic.
Experiencing pain & limited range of motion in your shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand?
Our certified hand therapists help to reduce pain and restore range of motion, strength, sensation, grip, and fine motor skills to restore functional ability and support the return to activity.
Conditions We Treat
We assess and treat patients with a wide variety of conditions of the upper extremity. Common conditions are listed below (expand for more detail)
Wrist pain
Experiencing wrist pain with weight bearing? E.g. push ups or pushing up from the floor, chair, or bed? Pain with activity involving grip might have a ligament injury or a ganglion (cyst) that requires treatment. An assessment diagnoses the condition and enables us to design a bespoke treatment plan for you.
Numbness or Tingling
Experiencing numbness or tingling in either your neck, shoulder, elbow, or hand? You might have nerve entrapment (a “pinched” nerve) in your upper extremity. A thorough hand therapy assessment can help determine where the nerve is trapped and how to fix it.
Arthritis
Our experienced hand therapists treat a number of arthitic conditions, including, but not limited to:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
Sprain or Strain
If you remember doing something and feeling pain right after, you might have a tear in a ligament (sprain) or a muscle or tendon (strain). Our experienced hand therapists can help assess how severe the sprain or strain is and choose best treatment options.
Tendonitis / Tenosynovitis
- Trigger finger
- DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis
- Bursitis
- Tennis Elbow
- Picondylitis
Carpal Tunnel
Wrist pain or numbness may indicate carpal tunnel. A hand assessment can diagnosis and inform a treatment plan that provides relief for carpal tunnel.
Tennis Elbow
Are you experiencing pain on the outside of the elbow, especially when you try to grip or open jars? This may be because you have Tennis Elbow – our expert hand therapists can diagnose and create a treatment plan specifically for you.
Trigger Finger
If your finger locks, gets stuck, or if the movement feels “sticky”, then you may have trigger finger. A hand assessment can diagnosis and inform a treatment plan to help.
Post-Surgical Conditions, including repairs and releases
- Carpal Tunnel Release
- Trigger Finger/Thumb Release
- Tenolysis
- Nerve Repairs
- Joint Reconstructions
- Joint Replacements
- Amputations
- Fracture Fixation of Hand and Wrist Fractures (Including carpal bones)
- Wrist Surgery
- Flexor Tendon Injuries and Repairs (Modified Duran, Kleinert, Early Active Protocols)
- Extensor Tendon Injuries and Repairs
- Desensitization
Traumatic Conditions, including fractures
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Crush Injuries
- Mallet Finger
Upper Extremity Conditions, including hand, wrist and shoulder pain
- Hand, Wrist, Elbow, and Shoulder Problems
- Sport Injuries
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis / Tendonisis
- Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow
- Tenosynovial Disorders (eg. De Quervain’s, Trigger Finger/Thumb)
- Epicondylitis (eg. ‘Tennis Elbow’)
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Sprains and Strains
- Stiff Hand
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
View a representative A-Z of Hand, Wrist, Elbow and Shoulder Conditions we routinely treat
Hand Therapy FAQs
What is hand therapy and how is it different from physiotherapy?
Hand therapy is a specialized area of physiotherapy (and occupational therapy) focusing on the hand, wrist, elbow, and forearm. Hand therapists have advanced training in post‑surgical rehabilitation, fracture care, tendon and nerve injuries, arthritis, splinting, and fine motor recovery.
Do I really need hand therapy after surgery?
Yes, in many cases. Surgery repairs tissues, but therapy restores movement, strength, and function. Without proper rehabilitation, stiffness, weakness, and chronic pain can develop. Hand therapy is often essential for achieving the best surgical outcome.
Is pain normal during hand therapy exercises?
Mild discomfort is common, especially when restoring movement after surgery or immobilization. Pain should be tolerable and short‑lived. As a general rule, pain should not remain elevated more than 15–30 minutes after exercises. Severe or increasing pain should be reported so treatment can be adjusted.
Is swelling normal after hand or wrist surgery?
Yes. Swelling is common and can last weeks or months depending on the procedure. Your hand therapist will provide strategies such as elevation, movement, compression, and activity modification to manage swelling and prevent stiffness.
Why is my hand still stiff?
Hand therapy timelines vary widely:
- Simple fractures or soft tissue injuries: 6–12 weeks
- Tendon or nerve repairs: several months
- Arthritis management: ongoing, goal‑based care
Your therapist will reassess progress regularly and adjust treatment as you improve.
When can I return to work, typing, or sport?
Return‑to‑activity timelines depend on the type of injury, surgery, and job or sport demands. Desk work may resume sooner than manual labor or sport. Your therapist will guide safe progression and, when needed, coordinate with your employer or surgeon.
Do splints replace exercises?
No. Splints protect healing tissues or reduce stress, but exercises remain essential for restoring strength and mobility. Splints and exercises work together, not as substitutes.
Went to Adavnced[sic] for a shoulder injury, assessment was fast but thorough, and my physiotherapist Tina was amazing! Treatment consisted of massage, needling and ultrasound. Left feeling like I had a whole new shoulder and lots to work on in terms of proper body alignment, protect and strengthening of my shoulder. Would definitely recommend the ladies are all very knowledgable and professional!
Joshua Van Camp, Google review
Why should you see our Certified Hand Therapists?
We deliver the expert, focused care you need to feel better.
Hand Therapy Assessment
During your assessment your hand therapist will guide you through physical tests. These physical tests are designed to help your hand therapist diagnose your pain or injury, and then determine the best treatment plan for your condition. The results are recorded in order to create a baseline against which to measure progress.
Treatments
We specialize in personalized treatment programmes, with a focus on education.
Treatments include:
- Soft tissue techniques, e.g. Massage
- Stretching
- Acupuncture
- Personalized exercise program
- Custom splinting
- Therapeutic ultrasound
- TENS
- Desensitization & Re-sensitization