Health Grove Clinic
Physio & Osteo in White Waltham
If hand or wrist pain is making everyday tasks harder, specialist physiotherapy can help you recover and use your hands with confidence again.
Minal Desai has over 25 years of experience, including more than 15 as a specialist hand and upper limb physiotherapist, and is registered with the HCPC. She’ll diagnose the underlying causes of your problem, and combine hands-on treatment with practical advice and tailored exercises.
Booking online is easy, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If hand or wrist pain is making everyday tasks harder, specialist physiotherapy can help you recover and use your hands with confidence again.
Minal Desai has over 25 years of experience, including more than 15 as a specialist hand and upper limb physiotherapist, and is registered with the HCPC. She’ll diagnose the underlying causes of your problem, and combine hands-on treatment with practical advice and tailored exercises.
Booking online is easy, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Health Grove Clinic is at Grove House, Waltham Road, White Waltham, on the edge of Maidenhead and within easy reach of much of Berkshire and south Oxfordshire.
The clinic is simple to reach by car, sitting just off the A404 and only a few minutes from the M4 at junctions 8 and 9. There is free parking on site, and both Maidenhead and Twyford railway stations are a short drive away.
We regularly welcome patients travelling in for physiotherapy and hand pain care from the surrounding towns and villages, including:
Health Grove Clinic is at Grove House, Waltham Road, White Waltham, on the edge of Maidenhead and within easy reach of much of Berkshire and south Oxfordshire.
The clinic is simple to reach by car, sitting just off the A404 and only a few minutes from the M4 at junctions 8 and 9. There is free parking on site, and both Maidenhead and Twyford railway stations are a short drive away.
We regularly welcome patients travelling in for physiotherapy and hand pain care from the surrounding towns and villages, including:
Minal Desai is a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 25 years of experience, specialising in the hand, wrist and upper limb. She has spent much of her career in dedicated hand and shoulder units, including the renowned Reading Shoulder Unit, and is a member of the British Association of Hand Therapists. She is registered with the HCPC and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
Minal takes a caring, thorough and results-driven approach, taking time to understand each patient before creating a tailored treatment and exercise plan.
You can read Minal’s full biography here, or learn more about our physiotherapy services here.
Minal Desai is a Chartered Physiotherapist with over 25 years of experience, specialising in the hand, wrist and upper limb. She has spent much of her career in dedicated hand and shoulder units, including the renowned Reading Shoulder Unit, and is a member of the British Association of Hand Therapists. She is registered with the HCPC and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
Minal takes a caring, thorough and results-driven approach, taking time to understand each patient before creating a tailored treatment and exercise plan.
You can read Minal’s full biography here, or learn more about our physiotherapy services here.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, causing tingling, numbness or pain in the thumb and fingers, often worse at night. Many cases respond well to physiotherapy, including splinting, nerve-gliding exercises and activity advice. Minal will assess the severity and, where symptoms are constant or there is muscle wasting or weakness, advise whether a surgical opinion is appropriate.
Trigger finger happens when a finger or thumb catches, clicks or locks as it bends, due to thickening around the tendon as it passes through its sheath. Earlier or milder cases often improve with splinting, targeted exercises and hands-on treatment to settle the irritation. Minal will guide your treatment and, if the finger remains stuck or very symptomatic, advise on referral for further options.
Dupuytren’s contracture is a gradual thickening and tightening of the tissue under the skin of the palm, which can slowly bend one or more fingers towards the palm. Physiotherapy can help maintain movement and function, particularly in the earlier stages and after any surgery. Minal will monitor your hand and advise on referral to a hand surgeon if the contracture is progressing.
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is irritation of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, causing pain when gripping, lifting or twisting, and is common in new parents and after repetitive tasks. It usually responds well to a combination of splinting, activity modification and a graded exercise programme. Minal will tailor treatment to settle the pain and restore comfortable use of the thumb and wrist.
Arthritis at the base of the thumb is common and can make pinching, gripping and opening jars painful, particularly later in life. While the arthritis itself cannot be reversed, physiotherapy can reduce pain and improve function through splinting, joint protection advice and targeted strengthening. Minal will help you manage symptoms and keep your hand working well day to day.
Osteoarthritis can affect the small joints of the fingers and hand, causing pain, stiffness and swelling that are often worse in the morning or after activity. A tailored programme of exercises, joint protection advice and hands-on treatment can ease symptoms and maintain movement. Minal focuses on helping you keep using your hands comfortably for the things that matter to you.
Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis can affect the hands, causing pain, swelling and stiffness that are particularly marked in the morning. Physiotherapy and hand therapy play an important role in maintaining movement, strength and function alongside medical management. If an inflammatory cause is suspected and not yet diagnosed, Minal will advise you to see your GP for assessment and onward referral.
A wrist sprain is an injury to the ligaments that support the wrist’s small joints, usually after a fall or sudden force, causing pain, swelling and reduced grip. Most settle well with the right care, which restores movement, strength and stability. Minal will assess the wrist and guide your rehabilitation, and arrange imaging or referral if a more significant injury is suspected.
Tendon problems around the wrist can follow repetitive activity, new tasks or a sudden increase in load, causing pain, tenderness and discomfort with movement. Treatment focuses on settling the irritation, modifying load and a structured strengthening programme. Minal will tailor this to your activities so you can return to using the wrist comfortably.
A ganglion is a fluid-filled swelling that commonly appears around the wrist or hand, and while often harmless it can sometimes cause discomfort or restrict movement. Physiotherapy can help with any associated stiffness, weakness or pain. Minal will assess the cyst and advise whether further investigation or a referral is worthwhile.
Repetitive strain injury is an umbrella term for pain and discomfort in the muscles, tendons and nerves of the hand and wrist caused by repeated movements, common with desk work and manual tasks. Treatment addresses the affected tissues and the underlying load, alongside advice on technique, breaks and workstation set-up. Minal will help you settle the symptoms and prevent them returning.
The tendons that bend and straighten the fingers can be injured by cuts, crush injuries or forceful loading, and these often need careful, structured rehabilitation, particularly after surgical repair. As an experienced hand therapist, Minal provides the splinting and graded exercise programmes these injuries require. She will work closely with your surgical team where relevant to protect the repair and restore function.
Mallet finger occurs when the tendon that straightens the fingertip is damaged, often after a knock to the end of the finger, leaving the tip drooping and unable to straighten fully. It usually responds well to a period of splinting followed by a graded exercise programme. Minal will guide you through the splinting and rehabilitation needed to restore movement.
After a hand or wrist fracture, such as a broken wrist, the joint and surrounding tissues are often stiff and weak once healing is underway. Physiotherapy helps restore movement, strength and function and supports a confident return to normal use. Minal provides structured post-fracture rehabilitation, tailored to your injury and the stage of your recovery.
The scaphoid is a small wrist bone that can be injured in a fall onto an outstretched hand, and these injuries need careful management because of how the bone heals. Once any immobilisation is complete, physiotherapy restores movement, strength and function. Minal will guide your rehabilitation, and if a scaphoid injury is suspected but not yet assessed, she will advise prompt medical review.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, which can cause tingling, numbness or weakness in the little and ring fingers. Many cases improve with activity advice, nerve-gliding exercises and addressing aggravating positions. Minal will assess the nerve and, where symptoms are persistent or there is weakness, advise whether a specialist opinion is needed.
Hands often become stiff and swollen after an injury or a period of immobilisation, which can limit grip and everyday function. Hand therapy is highly effective at restoring movement, reducing swelling and rebuilding strength. Minal will provide a tailored programme of exercises and hands-on treatment to get your hand moving and working again.
Surgery is often only the first half of recovery, and well-timed rehabilitation frequently determines how well a hand or wrist regains its movement, strength and function. As an experienced hand therapist, Minal provides the splinting, graded exercises and hands-on treatment that recovery requires. She works closely with your surgical team to give you the best possible outcome.
Your first appointment starts with a thorough assessment to understand what is causing your hand or wrist pain. Minal will explain what she finds in plain terms and set out a clear treatment plan. If scans are needed, or your problem would be better managed by a different specialist, she will refer you.
You will normally receive treatment during this first session. It helps to wear short sleeves so the hand, wrist and arm can be examined easily, and to remove any rings or watches beforehand. Speak to us in advance if you have any concerns.
Most people notice an improvement from the very first session. Minal will give you advice on any underlying causes and keeping your hands comfortable in future.
Your first appointment starts with a thorough assessment to understand what is causing your hand or wrist pain. Minal will explain what she finds in plain terms and set out a clear treatment plan. If scans are needed, or your problem would be better managed by a different specialist, she will refer you.
You will normally receive treatment during this first session. It helps to wear short sleeves so the hand, wrist and arm can be examined easily, and to remove any rings or watches beforehand. Speak to us in advance if you have any concerns.
Most people notice an improvement from the very first session. Minal will give you advice on any underlying causes and keeping your hands comfortable in future.
Questions about how we can help with your hand pain? Just contact us using the form opposite and one of our practitioners will be in touch personally to offer advice.
Alternatively, you can book your first appointment using the booking system below.
