FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow Institute

Hand Therapy

A hand therapist holding the hands of a patient with the words put your hands in good hands

FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow specializes in the rehabilitation of Hand, Wrist & Elbow conditions. Our Hand Therapists are experienced and knowledgeable in the intricate anatomy of the hand and upper extremity, advanced surgical techniques being used, and rehabilitation protocols, allowing us to maximize your recovery.

FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow understands the reliance on your hands and upper extremities in daily life and the significant impact a condition or trauma can cause. We offer our patients a wide range of hand, wrist, and elbow treatment methods and compassionate care that can only be found at FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow. We are dedicated to restoring function and mobility, and most of all, improving your quality of life.

Patients will not have to travel far to see us. With our convenient location in Fremont, we are easily accessible to Silicon Valley, Oakland and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our FORM Hand Therapy office is open Monday through Friday and offers appointments as early as 6 am to accommodate patients before work.

To become a patient at FORM Hand Therapy, you can either do a self-referral or obtain a referral from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner to start treatment. If you are not currently under the care of a physician for your hand, wrist, or elbow condition, you can request a consultation at FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow to be evaluated and treated by one of the top Orthopaedic Hand Surgeons in California, Basil R. Besh, M.D.

Our Services

FORM Hand Therapists work with patients to create and implement exercise programs to increase motion, dexterity, and strength, and to provide training in the performance of daily life skills, work tasks, and recreational activities through adapted methods and equipment. The following are just a few examples of methods our therapists use and in no way is it all-inclusive. Our therapists are highly innovative and participate in ongoing continuing education in the field of hand therapy to remain up-to-date in current practices. If you have a question about whether your condition should be treated by one of our hand therapists, call FORM Hand Therapy at (510) 480-3700.

Therapeutic Exercises and Hands-On Manual Therapy

A hand therapist performing manual hands-on physical therapy

One of the most important parts of therapy includes range of motion exercises, joint mobilization, and scar tissue management. Exercises and activities at FORM Hand Therapy are done with the Hand Therapists. However, many of the exercises are to be done by the patient at home. Patients are given an individualized home exercise program. Our therapists provide you with a thorough and detailed explanation as to which exercises you must do at home, and how often. The home program is essential to any progress.

We offer:

  • Therapeutic exercises and activities for functional strengthening, conditioning, and range of motion in the clinic.
  • Development of home exercise programs.
  • Hands-on manual therapy with soft tissue mobilization.
  • Myofascial techniques to eliminate pain and restore range of motion caused by injury, inflammation, and/or surgical procedures.

Physical Agent Modalities

Hand with physical agent modalities

FORM Hand Therapists are experienced in the use of physical agent modalities as an adjunct to a comprehensive plan of therapy care. Physical agent modalities are devices or interventions that can stimulate soft tissue changes in ways that are not possible with voluntary patient activity or manual therapy techniques. Such modalities, when used in conjunction with therapeutic exercises, can promote faster healing and return of function.

We offer:

  • Ultrasound (deep thermal therapy).
  • Iontophoresis to deliver medication to a localized area using a mobile patch.
  • Thermotherapy (heat) with paraffin wax treatment
  • Cryotherapy (superficial cold therapy).
  • Electrical stimulation therapy for neuromuscular rehabilitation, desensitization, and pain control.

Ultrasound therapy reduces inflammation. It breaks down scar tissue and increases local blood flow to increase healing rates in the area, making it an effective treatment to speed up slow-healing or addressing chronic issues more suitably.

Iontophoresis uses a direct electrical current of ions to deliver anti-inflammatory drugs to subcutaneous tissues and joints for therapeutic purposes. 

Thermotherapy or heat therapy is effective in decreasing joint stiffness, increasing blood flow, reducing pain and inflammation, reducing stress and tension, and relieving muscle spasms. 

Cryotherapy or cold therapy is effective in helping patients with muscle pain, as well as some joint and muscle disorders, such as arthritis. With superficial cold application, blood flow increases and provides the needed relief from pain. 

Electrical stimulation therapy uses electrical stimulation to improve joint pain and swelling, prevent and reverse muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass/tissue), increase range of motion for tense muscles or tendons, reduce stress and discomfort, and improve blood flow and circulation.

Custom Splints

Custom red and black Hand Splits

FORM Hand Therapists are highly knowledgeable in the technical skills of custom fabricated splints. Once the need for immobilization is determined, our therapists fabricate splints according to your condition and requirements. Splints are designed to protect and immobilize a bone or joint and assist in regaining range of motion of a joint. Custom splints are preferred over off-the-shelf splints because they can be modified as your needs change with the progression of therapy. Off-the-shelf splints are limited in sizing and adjustment options.

Our therapists make custom splints quickly and they are easy to apply.

We offer:

  • Static splints to immobilize, protect, and rest a joint.
  • Dynamic splints designed to increase passive range of motion, augment active range of motion, or substitute for loss of range of motion.
  • Serial splints undergo repeated remodeling to guide progressive increases in range of motion.

BTE Technology

Patient left hand holding BTE therapeutic machine

With our commitment to providing quality care and the best therapeutic outcomes, FORM Hand Therapists uniquely offer BTE (Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment) Primus RS technology. BTE is an interactive rehabilitative system that is able to replicate specific tasks and objectively track progress to show improvement with each therapy session. Being able to obtain quantifiable information on your condition and progress in rehabilitation, allows us to make the best clinical decisions regarding your care.

For hand therapy patients, restoring hand function by replicating specific tasks is invaluable. Some of our patients who have benefited from BTE Primus RS include bus drivers, construction workers, factory workers, etc. BTE Primus RS is able to replicate occupational tasks such as bus/truck steering wheels, various hand tools like screwdrivers, and levers with varied resistances. BTE Primus RS can simulate daily tasks such as turning a doorknob, using a key, grasping and pinching, all while controlling resistance as your therapist makes adjustments and monitors your progress throughout your therapy program.

We offer:

  • Functional Capacity Evaluations using BTE work simulator to measure baseline abilities objectively to determine an individual’s potential to return-to-work following injury or overall disability status.
  • Work Hardening applies BTE technology to design a specific individual’s program to improve strength and endurance and incorporate hand and upper extremity function in purposeful activities. The goal for patients performing work hardening exercises is to return to previous levels of function in activities of daily living (ADL), work-related tasks, and recreational activities.

Ergonomic Assessment

Ergonomic assessment 2D Diagram

In the context of hand therapy, ergonomics is the science of designing a workspace using an evidence-based approach to make measurable improvements to the workspace to prevent injuries that can occur from the shoulder to the fingertips, and increase productivity. By designing a safe and comfortable workstation, we can help you work safely.

We Offer:

  • Ergonomic Consultations performed by our Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist to provide proactive, preventive ergonomic education and modification to reduce workplace injuries.

Contact Us

To become a patient at FORM Hand Therapy, you can either do a self-referral or obtain a referral from a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner to start treatment. If you are not currently under the care of a physician for your hand, wrist, or elbow condition, you can request a consultation at FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow to be evaluated and treated by one of the top Orthopaedic Hand Surgeons in California, Basil R. Besh, M.D.