Hand Therapy
Hayes Hand Center is one of Chattanooga’s largest hand care centers with a focus on conditions associated with the hand, elbow and upper extremity. The surgeons and therapists at Hayes Hand Center work side by side to create a customized treatment plan for you to ensure the best possible outcomes. Our highly skilled certified therapists focus solely on the hand, elbow and upper extremity and use their extensive training and expertise to create individualized therapy plans to help you restore the use of your hand and fingers in a quick timeframe.
At Hayes Hand Center we take great pride in the abilities and professionalism of our licensed Hand Therapists and recognize that many patients benefit greatly from the utilization of Licensed Hand Therapists. Our licensed hand therapists are occupational therapists who have specialized in the art and science of rehabilitation of the upper extremities.
To become licensed, the therapist must have a minimum of 3 years work experience with 4,000 hours or more of direct practice in hand therapy. They must also successfully complete a comprehensive test of advanced clinical skills and theory in upper extremity rehabilitation. Because of changes in the field, ongoing continuing education is vital to keep current on treatment techniques.
Our Hand Center has included the expertise of hand therapists in our overall program since the late 1970s. Not all patients require hand rehabilitation following their treatment or hand surgery; however, for those that do, having the treating physician and therapist working together in the same office allows for optimal patient outcomes.
Conditions that may require intervention by a hand therapist include:
• Fractures
• Tendon injuries
• Nerve injuries
• Arthritis of the thumb
• Soft tissue injury
The trained therapist may:
• Fabricate custom splints
• Perform wound care as indicated
• Develop an individual therapeutic program to expedite the
patient’s recovery
• Help control the patient’s pain
• Work with the patient to make the transition back to their
everyday lives as smooth as possible
In addition, our therapists are trained in the evaluation of the patient’s level of impairment. They utilize the latest technological instrumentation in the measurement of strength, dexterity, range of motion, and sensory return.
MEET OUR HAND THERAPISTS
“My goal as a therapist is to help my patients heal and regain the use of their hand. Through therapy I learn more about my patients as an individual and want to help them achieve their goal of returning to a productive and fulfilled life.”
A native of Winchester, TN, Jennifer Durham graduated with honors from the Medical College of Georgian Occupational Therapy. She has also received her Masters in Special Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and became a Licensed Hand Therapist in 1996.
Jennifer began her career as an Occupational Therapist at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation in an outpatient and preschool setting, and later transitioned to inpatient therapy. She joined Hayes Hand Center in 1992 and now is the Clinical Coordinator at Hayes Hand Center. She is an active member of both the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Society of Hand Therapists. Jennifer was drawn to hand therapy because she sees firsthand how important the functional use of hands are in our daily lives. She enjoys seeing her patients become more functional throught their therapy program and during the process learns about them as an individual, which enables her to help them succeed with their goal of returning to a productive life.
Will joined our team at Hayes Hand Center in January of 2019. A graduate from the University of Spalding Auerbach School of Occupational therapy located in Louisville, KY, Will became interested in hand therapy early in his college career while working at a hand clinic and seeing how important healthy hands are for good quality of life. Will has his Master of Occupational Therapy degree and enjoys working alongside his patients as he helps them navigate their therapeutic journey with the ultimate goal of increased overall function and return to meaningful activities.
In his free time, Will enjoys spending time with his wife Jenny and his new baby girl Violet doing whatever outdoor activity is in season!
Kristin Hurt graduated from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Georgia Northwestern Technical College in May of 2003 with her Associate’s Degree and has worked at Hayes Hand Center since December of 2003. Her practice includes therapy of the upper extremity, and she has a special interest in the complexity of the anatomy of the upper extremity and how it works with the body as a whole. Kristin is married and the mother of two daughters. Her empathy, compassion, and understanding helps her as she works with patients to achieve the best outcome possible.
“As a hand therapist I have the privilege of making a difference in the lives of my patients and getting to know each of them on a personal basis. I strive to increase my knowledge and skills because my patient’s outcomes depend on it and there is nothing more rewarding than the expression of joy on a patient that just moved their hand for the first time since an injury.“
Kevin Lalonde is a native of New Orleans, La and graduated from the School of Allied Health at Louisiana State University Medical Center in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy. He was selected for the prestigious Evelyn Mackin Hand Therapy Fellowship at the Philadelphia Hand Center in January 2004 and became a Certified Hand Therapist in December 2004. In 2011, Kevin served as an Occupational Therapist/Hand Therapist in the mountainous jungle of northern Honduras at the Dyer Rural Hospital. Kevin and his family moved to Tennessee in 2019.
Kevin joined Hayes Hand Center in January of 2020. He is studying to recertify as a Certified Hand Therapist and is a current member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, American Society of Hand Therapists, and Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association. Kevin became a hand therapist because he has a passion to see people regain function and use of their hands so they can return to doing all things that matter to them.
“I aim to guide patients in their journey to becoming functionally independent through use of therapeutic activities, exercises, and modalities, while forming meaningful relationships and having a little fun in the process.“
Ryan York graduated from the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2021. Prior to his studies at UTC, he graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, with a concentration in Clinical Exercise Physiology.
Ryan joined Hayes Hand Center in June of 2021 and has since become an active member of the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT). Ryan has a certification in Physical Agents Modalities (PAMs), meaning that he has extensive knowledge of the use of ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and other modalities to best assist you in your rehabilitation journey. Ryan chose hand therapy due to the relationships he gets to form with his patients on their path to functional independence combined with the intricate, complex nature of upper extremity rehabilitation.
