When is hand therapy recommended for complex regional pain syndrome?

Complex regional pain syndrome can cause pain that feels out of proportion to touch or movement, along with changes in swelling, skin temperature or colour, stiffness and weakness. A hand therapist adapts treatment to your irritability rather than forcing painful movement. The aims may include protecting useful motion, reducing fear of using the hand, improving coordination and helping you return gradually to meaningful tasks.

Your therapist may assess range of motion, grip, sensation, swelling and how you use the hand. A plan can include gentle active movement, graded exposure to textures or touch, laterality and sensory exercises, functional practice, splint advice and a paced home programme. Keep a record of which activities increase symptoms and how long the response lasts. Progress should be adjusted with your treating team.

Contact your clinician promptly if pain or swelling changes sharply, the hand becomes newly cold or unusually discoloured, movement deteriorates quickly, or a splint causes numbness, pressure or skin damage. Fever, spreading redness or feeling acutely unwell needs urgent assessment because it may indicate a separate problem.

Ask whether hand therapy is suitable now, which symptoms should guide pacing, and how to distinguish a useful treatment response from a flare. Ask who will coordinate pain medicine, how often progress will be reviewed, and what home activities are safe for your current sensitivity.