Hand Therapy

Master’s Programme

The Master’s Programme in Hand Therapy is offered in association with the University of Burgos and provides a high level of technical and scientific training, enhanced by the association of the two institutions.

Students are expected to be able to use advanced and appropriate theoretical-practical tools to perform and provide excellent care to persons with functional impairment of the upper limb. The educational process will be based on the acquisition of competences in order to increase the domain of in-depth knowledge in the area of Hand Therapy in its multiple aspects, scientific and methodological, promoting multidisciplinary reflexive skills. The planning, management and organization capacities of upper limb rehabilitation services and / or programs in the different contexts and fields of intervention will be ensured in order to provide them with leadership skills. The development of critical thinking, both impractice and research, is fostered for proper integration into multidisciplinary teams, research projects or even research centres. This whole process will lead our master’s students in to a path of personal and professional growth.

Programme Coordinator

Elisabete Jorge da Costa Roldão
coord.mtm.ess@ipleiria.pt

School

Health Sciences

City

Leiria

Language

Portuguese

Type

Evening

Length

3 Semesters

Vacancies

General and International student contingent: 15

Notice

Edital 2026 (PT Doc-Ret)

DGES certification

Link to Registration

Objectives

Programme

The Master’s degree in Hand Therapy forms reeducators of the upper limb and hand, a designation adopted by the Portuguese Association of Hand Therapy considering the international guidelines. These may be occupational therapists and/or physiotherapists who specialize in the rehabilitation of people with conditions affecting the upper limb.

To the reeducator of the upper limb and hand, it is required to perform post-graduation training and to have clinical experience. The intervention with musculoskeletal, neurological, surgical or other conditions, which cause alteration or even loss offunction of the upper limb, are complex requiring a specific knowledge at this level and in several domains.

1. Year
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Assessment and Diagnosis	1S	6	55 h
CP1. Anamnesis and clinical history CP2. Upper Limb Physical Examination CP3. Clinical Evaluation of the Elbow CP4. Clinical Evaluation of Hand and Fist CP5. Upper Limb Imaging
	Clinical Conditions of the Upper Limb	1S	9	85 h
CP1. Central and peripheral neurological pathologies CP2. Anatomy of the Brachial Plexus CP3. Scapular Waist Dysfunction CP4. Scapular Waist Assessment / Treatment CP5. Specific mobility of the shoulder girdle CP6. Elbow dysfunctions CP7. Differential Diagnosis of Elbow Pathology CP8. Elbow Assessment / Treatment CP9. Dupuytren’s contracture CP10. Distal radius fracture CP11. Soft tissue lesions of the proximal interphalangeal joint CP12. Osteoarthritis of the thumb CP13. Arthritis splints and joint protection techniques CP14. Finger and carpal fractures CP15. Spinal cord injury: clinical reasoning of hand and wrist conditions CP16. Rheumatic pathology: definition, methods, techniques and protocols of therapeutic intervention. CP17. Sensitivity changes
	Clinical Reasoning and Critical Thinking	1S	3	30 h
CP1. Clinical reasoning CP2. Critical thinking CP3. Clinical reasoning and patient centred care CP4. Clinical decision making
	Skin Conditions, Motor Control and Pain	1S	9	85 h
CP1. Cutaneous pathology in hand therapy conditions CP2. Pre and post-surgical wound and direct scarring nomenclature; Process of normalisation of healing CP3. Mesotherapy, hydrogel and silicone techniques; Tape on the treatment of scars CP4. Conduct and guidance in the manipulation of the joint system by joint contractures and limitations caused by clinical procedures and tegumentary pathologies of the upper limb CP5. Guidance and adaptations of functional daily life activities. CP6. Clinical cases, intervention techniques in oedema, complex regional pain syndrome, stiffness and scarring. Skills workshops including clinical reasoning for splint design, exercise prescription and motor imaging programs CP7. Types of pain, pain ladder and inflammatory process CP8. Pharmacology applied to pain management CP9. Gate control theory in the approach of the painful stimulus CP10. New approaches and alternative therapies in pain management
	Biomaterials	1S	3	20 h
CP1 Introduction to biomaterials (concept, classes, historical, ethical and regulatory aspects) CP2 Properties of solids and materials (theories and criteria of failure, fracture, fatigue, friction and wear; properties of elasticity and viscoelasticity). CP3 Mechanical behaviour of natural and synthetic tissue structures CP4 Metallic Biomaterials: Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications CP5 Polymeric Biomaterials: Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications CP6 Ceramic biomaterials and composite materials: advantages, disadvantages and applications
	Hand Therapy in Musculoskeletal Conditions	2S	7	70 h
CP1. Tendon apparatus of the upper limb: flexor and extensor CP2. Pre- and post-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal lesions of the upper limb: splints and reeducation techniques CP3. Specific protocols for therapeutic intervention in the different clinical conditions of the upper limb CP4. Anatomo-physiological principles of the upper limb lymphatic system; CP5. Evolution of the Leduc, Vodder and Godoy Methods and protocols of manual lymphatic drainage of the upper limb; CP6. Specific techniques of therapeutic intervention: Kinesiotaping, functional ligatures, electrotherapy applied to Hand Therapy (ultrasound, thermotherapy, electrostimulation, TENS, Burst, Laser) CP7. Sports injuries of the upper limb: definition, methods, techniques and protocols of therapeutic intervention CP8. Work-related musculoskeletal injuries
	Hand Therapy in Neurological Conditions	2S	7	70 h
CP1. Anatomic and physiological revision of the central nervous system CP2. Paradigm of the rehabilitation of the user with central nervous injury: treatment techniques with a focus on the holistic perspective of the person CP3. Brunnstrom technique: approach of the person with hemiplegia CP4. Concept of PANAT in the treatment of neurological lesions CP5. Bobath’s concept of neuromuscular injury approach CP6. PNF technique – Kabat in the reeducation of neuromusculoskeletal injuries CP7. Global Postural Reeducation (GPR): Concept of globality, individuality and causality CP8. Mirror therapy: principles and applications CP9. Motor imagination: principles and applications CP10. Constraint induced movement therapy: principles and applications CP 11. Le Métayer technique applied to the upper limb CP11. Clinical reasoning with selection of specific techniques and splints for the upper limb
	Hand Therapy in Specific Conditions	2S	7	70 h
CP1. The osteoarticular, tendinous and neurological lesions of the wrist and fingers: definition, methods, techniques and protocols of therapeutic intervention CP2. Burns of the upper limb: characterisation, methods, techniques and protocols of therapeutic intervention CP3. Malformations: classification and therapeutic intervention CP4. Amputations: classification and pre and post prosthetic training. Types of upper limb prosthesis. CP5. Correction and reeducation of macro and micro injuries
	Assistive Technologies and Digital Fabrication	2S	5	50 h
CP1.1. ISO 9999 classification: different Ap classes CP1.2. Compensation and replacement of deficient functions using AP CP1.3. Orthoses and prosthetics: different types (analysis and construction) CP2 CAD Modeling and 3D Scanning Systems: CP2.1. Basic concepts of modeling. CP2.2. 3D Scanning Systems. CP2.3. Processing of medical images for the definition of 3D models. CP2.4. Processing of scanned 3D models or medical imaging models. CP2.5. Ergonomic and universal design concepts for additive manufacturing technologies. CP3 Additive Manufacturing Technologies: CP3.1. General fundamentals and classification of additive manufacturing technologies. CP3.2. Selection of biomaterials for use in the production of medical devices. CP3.3. Additive technologies for photopolymerization of resins. CP3.4. Analysis of clinical cases.
	Research Methods	2S	4	40 h
CP1. Quantitative research projects CP2 Techniques and instruments for quantitative data collection CP3. Design and validation of questionnaires, scales and inventories. CP4. Computer applications for quantitative data analysis: SPSS and AMOS CP5. Univariate, Bivariate and Multivariate Analysis

No curricular units were found for this section.

Entry Requirements

May apply for the master’s degree:

Holders of the degree of licensee or legal equivalent in physiotherapy oroccupational therapy, conferred by a national higher education institution;
Holders of a foreign higher academic degree,or legal equivalent, in physiotherapy or occupational therapy conferred following a 1st cycle of studies organised inaccordance with the principles of the Bologna process by a state adhering to this Process;
The holders of a foreignhigher academic degree, which is recognized by the Technical-Scientific Council (CTC) of the Sciences Health School ofthe Polytechnic of Leiria (ESS-PL) as satisfying the objectives of the degree of licensee in physiotherapy or occupationaltherapy or in related areas;
The holders of a school, scientific or professional curriculum, which is recognized by theESS-PL CTC as attesting the ability to perform this cycle of studies.

Accreditation

State: Accredited
Nº years of Accreditation: 3
Dateof Publication: 06/10/2021
A3ES Accreditation

More Information

E-mail: studywithus@ipleiria.pt

Application Fee

60€

Enrolment Fee

General contingent: 50€
International student contingent: 100€

Tuition Fee

General contingent: 2000€
International student contingent: 3000€