Post-Hand Surgery Rehabilitation in Singapore
Surgery repairs the structures in your hand — therapy afterwards restores how it works. At the Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation (CARe), our AHPC-registered occupational therapists and hand therapists guide your recovery after hand surgery with custom splinting, scar and swelling management, and carefully staged exercises, always in line with your surgeon's protocol.
Hand therapy after surgery at CARe
The hand is intricate, and surgery on it — tendon repair, fracture fixation, nerve repair or carpal tunnel release — is only half the story. Careful, well-timed therapy afterwards plays a major part in how much movement and function you regain. At the Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation (CARe), post-hand surgery rehabilitation is delivered through our dedicated hand therapy service, led by AHPC-registered occupational therapists and supported by the wider clinic team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
How we approach rehabilitation after hand surgery
Assessment and your surgeon's protocol
Rehabilitation after hand surgery is closely staged. Your therapist will review your operation notes and your surgeon's post-operative protocol, assess your hand's current movement, swelling and sensation, and plan therapy that protects the repair while healing takes place.
Custom splinting and orthosis fabrication
Many hand operations need a splint to protect the repair or position the hand for recovery. Our therapists fabricate custom splints and orthoses fitted to your hand and adjusted as your rehabilitation progresses.
Scar and swelling management
Scar management and oedema (swelling) management are core parts of hand therapy after surgery, helping keep tissues supple and comfortable as they heal so that movement can be restored more effectively.
Restoring movement and managing stiffness
Stiffness is one of the most common challenges after hand surgery. Your therapist will guide graded movement exercises at the right stage of healing, alongside stiff hand management techniques, to help you regain motion in the fingers, thumb and wrist.
Rebuilding strength and everyday function
As your surgeon's protocol allows, therapy progresses to strengthening grip and pinch and retraining the everyday tasks you need your hand for — writing, typing, cooking, carrying, and the specific demands of your work.
What post-hand surgery rehabilitation can help with
Our hand therapy team provides rehabilitation after a range of procedures, including:
- Tendon repair to the fingers, hand or wrist
- Fracture fixation in the hand or wrist, once cleared for therapy
- Nerve repair and related loss of sensation or control
- Carpal tunnel release and similar procedures
- Stiffness, swelling and weakness after immobilisation
Important: always follow your surgeon's post-operative instructions, including when to keep your splint on. If you notice increasing wound redness, discharge, fever or a sudden change in your hand, contact your surgical team promptly.
What to expect at your appointment
Bring your operation notes, your surgeon's protocol and any imaging to your first session. Your therapist will assess your hand, explain what each stage of therapy involves, and set goals with you — from early protected movement through to strength and full daily use.
Your home programme between sessions
Hand recovery relies on little and often. You will get a clear home programme of exercises, scar care and splint wear guidance, updated at each visit as your hand heals and your surgeon's protocol allows more activity.
Our two clinic locations
CARe @ Camden — 1 Orchard Boulevard, #11-05 Camden Medical Centre, Singapore 248649. Tel: +65 6257 7022
CARe @ Parkway — 1 Marine Parade Central, #07-07 Parkway Centre, Singapore 449408. Tel: +65 6475 8334
Ready to start your hand rehabilitation?
Book a hand therapy assessment at the clinic more convenient for you. Contact us and our team will help you arrange it around your surgical follow-up appointments.
Frequently asked questions
When should hand therapy start after surgery?
It depends on the procedure — some repairs need therapy to begin within days, while others require a period of protection first. Your surgeon sets the timing, so check with them and bring their instructions to your first hand therapy session.
Will I need a splint after hand surgery?
Many patients do, at least for a period. If a splint is needed, our therapists fabricate one custom-fitted to your hand and adjust it as your recovery progresses. How long you wear it depends on your procedure and your surgeon's protocol.
Is hand therapy after surgery painful?
Therapy works within the limits of healing, and some discomfort can be normal as movement is restored — but it should stay manageable. Your therapist will pace exercises to your stage of recovery and adjust anything that is aggravating your hand.