How to train in hand therapy and sporting hands with Hamish Anderson

I first came across Hamish's blog in 2017 as a student physiotherapist and thought it was a great learning resource which really helped me whilst I was on a hospital orthopaedic / hand therapy placement.

I really enjoyed our chat and I promised Hamish to make a contribution to the blog which has proved very helpful over the years! I thought I would leave the sporting injuries to the experts and write about getting experience in hand therapy as I recently hosted a podcast with Hamish talking about this very subject...

You can listen in to the podcast here...

I am fascinated with Hand Therapy for many reasons...

• Did you know Brian Mulligan’s “apple on the head” moment for the development of his mobilisation with movement manual therapy techniques occurred when he was working with a stiff PIPJ?
• Splinting is widely considered the defining factor of a hand therapist - but as Hamish says - splinting skills constitute a very small proportion of the job!
• Hand therapists have a specialised knowledge of physiology, anatomy, neuroscience and orthopaedic knowledge which is unrivalled by other spheres of OT and physio.

Maybe this is why getting a position in hand therapy is so competitive... these skills are not taught at university and private practise educators and mentors are hard pressed for time to impart such knowledge...

Which brings me to the point of this article…

What are some things a student or new graduate OT/PT can do to get a training position in Hand Therapy?

The AHTA runs a number of special interest groups in each state, getting along to as many of these as possible is a fantastic learning opportunity and also good for networking... as a student it is recommended that you find out where your nearest SIG group is and get along!

Approaching a private practise as a student and doing some observation is a good way to get your foot in the door and learning about what is required for a private practise role. If you are volunteering for a period of time - this should not exceed more than a few months and be sure to make yourself a part of the team’s professional development in-services and other learning opportunities.

There are also a lot of overseas training in hand therapy available in the UK. Hamish first started working in NYC as a hand therapist and also notes that many early career and experienced OT / PT's are able to find hand therapy training positions and work in London and other parts of the UK.

The AHTA also runs a number of courses for OT's and /PT's who are interested in training in hands - they are for people looking for professional development in hand and upper limb MSK and students and new graduates are welcome to attend - even without much experience in hands... getting started early with one of these courses will stand out on your resume - particularly with the new pathways for 'Accredited Hand Therapist' come into play and both private practise and public employers value this certification for leadership positions for hand therapists.

The are many exciting prospects in the future for Hands and it is certain that this area will remain distinct moving into the future... Hamish also talked about what is in store for hand therapy on the podcast as well as 3D printing of splints and places for hand therapists in professional sports...

It was great to visit the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and put a face to a familiar blog...

You can listen in below or here...

Thanks again for coming on the podcast Hamish!

Jack

Time Stamps;

0:00 – 1:00 Introduction

1:00 – 4:15 on Hamish’s blog ‘Sporting Hands’

1:00 – 4:15 talking training in a job in private practice and hospitals hand therapy

4:15 – 5:15 how to stand out from the crowd

5:15 - 6:30 hand therapy positions overseas in London and New York.

6:30 - 8:30 hand therapy is unique as it is multidisciplinary by nature as it is shared by OT and physio

8:30 - 14:00 changes to the Hand Therapy training programme and why become an AHT?

14:00 - 17:00 attitudes to Hand injuries in professional sport and “if they can run, they can play”

17:00 - 19:00 hand therapy starting to become recognised as expert consultants in professional sport…

19:00 – 21:30 memorable moments in professional sport

21:30 – 23:00 Hawthorn think outside of the box in terms of medical team and support

23:00 – 24:00 what on the horizon for hand therapy?

24:00 – 27:00 discussion of a working with a hand transplant patient

27:00 – 28:45 advances in upper limb prosthesis vs hand transplants

28:45 – 31:30 why power tools are a no and reflections on the best parts of hand MSK

31:30 – 33:30 parting words on how to get into Hand MSK