Hand and Upper Extremity Manual Therapy

About this Certificate Program

The Hand and Upper Extremity Manual Therapy Certificate distinguishes you for achieving a higher level of knowledge and skills for your practice. Using an evidence-based approach, this certificate utilizes a manual therapy philosophy combined with current research to prepare therapists to evaluate and treat joint stiffness, soft tissue disorders, and nerve compression syndromes in a systematic fashion. Therapists who successfully complete this 11-course program have distinguished themselves among their colleagues as highly-motivated healthcare providers.

Target audience

Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) and therapists (OTs, COTAs, PTs, PTAs) who want to be recognized as experts in their field.

Goals & objectives

• Apply manual therapy techniques to address joint stiffness, tendinopathy, and nerve compression issues in the upper extremity to optimize patient outcomes.

• Explain the importance of a capsular pattern when finding a passive limit and how this affects your treatment plan.

• Define the arthrokinematic rules with convex and concave relationships to determine the appropriate traction and glide directions for improving motion at the thumb, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

• Describe the clinical presentation of a patient with disputed neurogenic thoracic outlet and apply treatment techniques to address this condition.