Hand therapy

Hand therapy provides specialist care for people with hand and wrist problems, whether from a recent injury, surgery, or a long-term condition.

getUBetter app – for muscle, joint or bone problems

For immediate access to advice and support to help manage your muscle, joint or bone problem, please use the getUBetter app.

It offers quick and safe advice to help you self-manage your condition. It can also signpost you to local services and refer you to hand therapy without going to your GP.

It is free to use if you are registered with a GP in Southwark or Lambeth.

If you are registered with a Southwark GP: download getUBetter

If you are registered with a Lambeth GP: download getUBetter

To find out more go to: About getUBetter

What we do

We help patients regain movement, strength, and confidence so they can return to everyday activities including work, hobbies, and self-care.

We work with each person to create a treatment plan tailored to their goals, using exercises, splints, and practical advice to support recovery and prevent further problems.

We see people with both sudden (acute or traumatic) injuries and ongoing (chronic) issues such as pain, stiffness, or weakness.

This is an outpatient service, open Monday to Friday, and runs from multiple sites across South East London (see below for details). Our team also treat some patients while they are admitted on the ward, for splinting and exercises, and will usually organise outpatient follow-up, either at one of the Trust’s sites or at your nearest Hand Therapy department, if available.

As part of the London Trauma Network, our hand therapy service plays a major role in helping people recover from serious hand and wrist injuries. Our team implements the latest evidence-based rehabilitation techniques used across the NHS.

Preparing for your appointment

Check your appointment date, time and location. Please try to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before your allocated appointment time.

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we may not be able to see you and you will have to rebook your appointment.

Please bring the following to your appointment:

• any reports or images of scans or X-rays that were provided by hospitals outside of King’s College Hospital or Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trusts
• any splints or supports you have been issued
• a list of questions you want to ask

What to expect at your appointment

Please allow about 30 to 45 minutes for your appointment. Osteoarthritis group appointments will be 60 to 75 minutes long.

You will be seen by an occupational therapist or physiotherapist in the Hand Therapy Department. They will ask you about your symptoms, the mechanism of injury if applicable, and any relevant past medical history. They will also ask about your current activity levels (for example, work, exercise, sports, activities of daily living) to make sure they can give you appropriate advice about returning to these activities.

Sessions will usually include discussion about exercises you can do, supports you can wear or how you can manage your symptoms. If necessary, follow-up appointments are usually made during the session.

Locations

• Hand Therapy Department, Ground Floor, Willowfield Building, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS
• Hand Therapy Department, First Floor, Coldharbour Works, 86A Shakespeare Road, SE24 0QQ
• Nurse Assessment Room, Suite 3, Ground Floor, Golden Jubilee Wing, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS
• Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy Department, First Floor, Beckenham Beacon, 379 Croydon Road, BR3 3QL

Changing or cancelling your appointment

You can change or cancel your appointment using the contact details below or the MyChart app.

Please let us know at least 24 hours before your appointment if you need to reschedule. This allows us to see another patient instead.

If you do not attend without telling us, we may discharge you back to your GP.

Contact details

King’s College Hospital

• Switchboard Reception: 020 3299 9000
• Therapies Outpatient Appointments (phone lines open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to midday): 020 3299 8220
• Therapy Outpatient Appointments email: [email protected]

Beckenham Beacon

• Outpatient Appointments (phone lines open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to midday): 01689 866660
• Therapy Outpatient Appointments email: [email protected] 

Patient resources

For more information about hand therapy visit:

• The British Society for Surgery of the Hand
• The British Association of Hand Therapists

For information about hand or wrist conditions visit:

• Hand pain – NHS
• Sprains and strains – NHS

Chronic pain resources

Resources to help you gain an understanding of pain, along with additional support tools, can be found on our Musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapy service page.

Patient information leaflets

Title	File Size	Link
Desensitisation (Hand Therapy Home Programme)	114 KB	Download
Distal phalanx fractures	444 KB	Download
Distal radius fracture – after surgery	370 KB	Download
Distal radius fracture – conservative management	355 KB	Download
Guidance on how you can change your custom-made bony mallet splint	631 KB	Download
Metacarpal fractures	408 KB	Download
Middle phalanx fractures	444 KB	Download
Oedema management: self-adhesive compression wrapping	161 KB	Download
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand	349 KB	Download
Proximal phalanx fractures	196 KB	Download
Scaphoid fracture – after surgery	243 KB	Download
Scaphoid fracture – conservative	285 KB	Download
Scapholunate ligament repair	323 KB	Download
Scar management (Hand Therapy Home Programme)	113 KB	Download
The Hand Therapy Service	185 KB	Download
Volar plate injury	456 KB	Download
Work-related upper limb disorder (WRULD)	370 KB	Download