Hand Rehab's Wellington CBD clinic brings specialist hand therapy to the heart of the city, based in the Majestic Centre on Willis Street. Part of the Habit Health network of integrated healthcare providers, the clinic offers comprehensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy for everything from the elbow to the fingertips. The team are fully qualified physiotherapists or occupational therapists who have undertaken additional training in hand therapy, splinting and rehabilitation. They assess and diagnose injuries and conditions, then build a treatment plan around each person — whether that's a sports injury, a fractured hand, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, OOS/RSI or recovery after surgery. Custom-fitted splints and supports are made on site, and hands-on treatments include massage, acupuncture and joint and soft tissue mobilisation. No GP referral is needed to book. Hand Rehab is a registered ACC Provider, so accident and work-related injuries — including custom splints and supports — can be covered, with some ACC criteria applying, and all ACC documentation can be completed at the first appointment. Video consults are available for new and existing injuries, and the team works closely with GPs, plastic and orthopaedic surgeons, accident clinics, ACC and private insurers to keep care fast and streamlined. Their Three Step Recovery Programme is designed to reduce pain, restore movement and improve performance.
Hands do an extraordinary amount of quiet work. They type, grip, cook, drive and carry — until pain, injury or surgery brings it all to a halt. Hand Rehab's Wellington CBD clinic exists for exactly these moments: a specialist hand therapy clinic in the Majestic Centre on Willis Street, treating everything from the elbow to the fingertips.
The clinic is part of the Habit Health network of integrated healthcare providers, and its focus is deliberately narrow and deep. Rather than general physiotherapy, the team provides physiotherapy and occupational therapy dedicated to the hand, wrist and elbow, delivered by fully qualified practitioners who have undertaken additional training in hand therapy, splinting and rehabilitation.
The scope is wide. The team assesses and treats tendonitis and tendon injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, joint and ligament injuries, nerve compression and nerve injuries, and wrist, thumb and finger sprains. Sports injuries are a mainstay — including skier's thumb and mallet finger — alongside arthritis, OOS/RSI, burns, muscle strains, dislocations and hand fractures. They also provide scar management and structured post-surgery care and rehabilitation.
Every course of treatment starts with assessment and diagnosis, followed by a plan built around the individual — how the injury affects your work, your hobbies and your daily life.
Hand Rehab's approach is captured in its Three Step Recovery Programme: reduce pain, restore movement and improve performance. In practice that can mean tailored exercises to increase range of movement and strength; custom-made splints or casts, built on site, to support injured structures and reduce inflammation; and hands-on treatments including massage, acupuncture, and joint and soft tissue mobilisation. Patients also receive guidance on work and home-based activities so recovery continues between visits, with onward referral to specialists or investigations such as x-rays when needed.
The first appointment runs 30–60 minutes, depending on the therapist and the nature of the treatment. Therapists take time to understand how life is affected by the injury or impairment, discuss a treatment plan, and aim to deliver the first step of that treatment on the day. Follow-up appointments normally take about 45 minutes, with frequency shaped by the injury and the plan.
No referral is needed — patients can simply book online or call. Hand Rehab is a registered ACC Provider: if an injury results from an accident or a work injury, all aspects of treatment, including custom-fitted splints and supports, are covered, with some ACC criteria applying. All required ACC documentation can be filled out at the first appointment, and for straightforward injury incidents ACC can usually confirm acceptance within two weeks. Gradual-process injuries, such as those linked to keyboard or mouse use, work differently and are best raised with a GP first.
Behind the scenes, the clinic works closely with GPs, plastic and orthopaedic surgeons, accident clinics, ACC, private insurers and other allied health professionals, with reserved appointments so imaging or specialist input can happen swiftly. Patients with health insurance such as Southern Cross may be able to claim treatment costs back, and video consults are available for new and existing injuries. It is also fine to switch — between Hand Rehab clinics or therapists — at any point during treatment.
A few practical notes before you go: clinics generally operate Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.30pm, though hours vary slightly between sites, so it is worth booking online or calling to confirm a time. Cancellations inside 24 hours, or no-shows, attract a fee equivalent to the standard ACC co-payment or the full private fee, payable before further bookings. Splinting is charged separately, with costs explained during the appointment, and discounts are available for Gold Card and Community Services Card holders. The Habit Health shop also stocks physio exercise products, tapes and bandages for home use.
What patients tend to notice is the focus. Because every clinician works on the arm and hand all day, the detail is different: splints shaped to the individual, exercises scaled to a specific tendon, advice tuned to your actual job. The team describes its commitment as restoring mobility and improving lives through therapies, personalised care and a supportive, collaborative approach — helping people regain strength, function and independence in their daily lives. For anyone in central Wellington with a sore wrist, a jammed finger, a surgical scar or an overworked thumb, that specialist attention can be the difference between managing and properly recovering.