Hand Surgery And Therapy

Request an appointment online with a Hand Specialist at Fletcher Allen, or call 1-888-401-HAND.

Hand Surgery

Fletcher Allen Hand Surgery offers expert clinical care for hand, finger and wrist injuries of all types — from the best diagnostic services to state-of-the-art medical and surgical care. Fletcher Allen is a Level One Trauma Center, which means we're specialists in acute injury treatment. Our hand surgeons deal with everything from skin grafts to microscopic nerve repair to hand and finger reattachments. 

Meet Fletcher Allen's Hand Surgeons

Fletcher Allen's team of board-certified hand surgeons and experienced nurses are as knowledgeable and caring as you'll find anywhere in the area.  Our three University of Vermont (UVM) Medical Group hand surgeons are fellowship-trained and board certified with a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Surgery of the Hand. This means you receive advanced orthopedic care from surgeons specialized in hand surgery at Vermont's only academic medical center.

Fletcher Allen hand surgeons will work with you to evaluate your condition and to determine what treatment best fits your goals and your lifestyle. Find a Fletcher Allen hand surgeon.

Some of the hand injuries we treat include:

• Acute hand injuries like fractures and sprains
• Lacerations requiring stitches or microsurgery
• Tendon inflammation (tendonitis)
• Arthritis and arthritic joint pain
• Nerve compression (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)
• Congenital problems, growths or tumors (like Dupuytren’s disease)
• Reconstruction of old injuries

No matter what your hand or wrist injury, our goal is to help you return to the things you love, and enjoy a healthy, active life. Make an appointment with a Fletcher Allen Hand Specialist.

Hand Therapy

Fletcher Allen Hand Therapy offers expert in-depth rehabilitative care for hand, finger and wrist injuries of all types. If you or a loved one is recovering from hand surgery or a serious hand injury, rehabilitation can be a critical step to healing.  Our hand therapists are located at the Orthopedic Specialty Center, so your care is centered in one location. In addition to the fact that we perform our outpatient surgeries on-site, we have an MRI and rehabilitation center, all under the same roof. To learn more about our Orthopedic Specialty Center, watch this virtual tour video.

Meet Fletcher Allen's Hand Therapists

Each therapist of our hand therapy team is an occupational or physical therapist, who has completed a minimum of five years of additional medical training experience in treating injuries of the hand, wrist, fingers, and elbow. Not only do our eight hand therapists have more than 100 years of collective experience, the majority of hand therapists in Vermont are with Fletcher Allen, allowing us to provide a level of care to our patients not found anywhere else. View a list of our occupational therapists or physical therapists.

Hand therapy at Fletcher Allen involves an evaluation and development of a comprehensive treatment plan based on your input. Hand therapists not only work with patients who have had hand surgery for injuries like lacerations, fractures and sprains, they also work with patients to help manage chronic hand pain and arthritis.

Some of the goals of your individual treatment plan may include therapies to:

• Increase range of motion and flexibility
• Increase strength and function
• Manage acute and chronic pain
• Promote healing, surgical repair, and wound desensitization
• Continue therapy treatment plan at home

At Fletcher Allen Orthopedics you will find caring and skilled hand therapists, including rehab doctors trained in rehabilitation medicine, physical therapists, and specialized rehabilitation nurses who work together to help you return to doing the things you enjoy. Make an appointment with a Fletcher Allen Hand Specialist.

Spotlight On: Tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Inflammation of the tendons in the hand, wrist and elbow most commonly occur during sports or recreational activities, while working on projects around the home, or performing work-related activities, such as swinging, cutting, drilling, or typing. Sometimes the symptoms of tendonitis such as pain and swelling are similar to more serious condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain, tingling, and other problems in your hand because of pressure on your median nerve in your wrist. Both conditions can be treated with hand therapies such as stretching and rehabilitation exercises, and sometimes our hand surgeons may recommend endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery. From our health library: learn about endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome

Symptoms of Tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you have tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome, you may experience pain and swelling as the main symptoms. Patients with carpal tunnel also complain of tingling sensations, pain and limited range of motion within the wrist. From our health library: learn about carpal tunnel syndrome, what increases your risk, and how carpal tunnel is diagnosed and treated.

Appointments with Fletcher Allen Hand Surgeons And Therapists

To schedule an appointment with one of our Hand Specialists at Fletcher Allen, please call 1-888-401-HAND or fill out the online appointment request form.

You may also arrange an appointment with a hand surgeon for an evaluation, consultation or second opinion with a referral from a primary care physician, another specialist such as a physiatrist, from self referral or in follow-up from an emergency room visit. Hand therapy appointments are typically arranged through referrals from hand surgeons.

If available, please bring any medical health records or diagnostic studies (X-rays, CT scans, MRI, EMG/NCS). This will assist our hand specialty team in developing a comprehensive plan of care for you. Please note that financial coverage for evaluation and treatment are subject to the conditions of your particular insurance policy.

For questions and other inquiries, please call Fletcher Allen Orthopedics at 802-847-6000.