Cultural Differences in Hand Rehabilitation

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast Western hand therapy interventions and practices in Chinese hospitals. For the past 2 years, I have been providing hand therapy in two local Chinese hospitals in the more developed eastern part of China. One hospital is a public traditional Chinese hospital and the other a private hospital that integrates a traditional Chinese medicine approach with international methods. Hand therapists take great pride in our profession and constantly strive to improve clinical skills and seek innovative solutions to complex hand injuries. We are regularly challenged with traumatic injuries that require the use of our expertise, creativity, and problem-solving skills in order to enable clients to re-engage in their life roles and occupations. The opportunity to practice in different cultural settings generates a sense of excitement, adventure, challenges, and drama and requires a deep commitment to the practice of hand rehabilitation.