SPECIALIZED HAND & UPPER-EXTREMITY THERAPY
Riviera Hand Therapy Personalized care
Receive specialized treatment from local Certified Hand Therapists with expertise in hand and upper-extremity rehabilitation. Our individualized approach is designed to restore function and help you return to the activities that matter most.
Specialized care, thoughtfully delivered
Why Riviera
Care that sees the whole person—not just the injury.
Riviera combines specialized hand and upper-extremity expertise, one-on-one attention, and the flexibility to meet you at home or work. Your treatment is shaped around your recovery goals and your life.
Care that meets you where you are
Therapy designed around your recovery
Treatment can take place at home or work, with in-clinic care planned for the future. Every plan reflects your diagnosis, healing timeline, daily demands, and the activities you want to return to.
Specialized expertise
Advanced hand and upper-extremity training, with treatment tailored to your injury, surgery, and recovery goals.
Truly one-on-one care
Your appointment is your time, with room to listen, provide hands-on treatment, and adjust your plan as you progress.
Connected recovery
With your authorization, we communicate with your physician, surgeon, and healthcare team so therapy stays aligned with your medical plan.
Back to what matters
Care centered on the activities you love.
From custom orthoses and splinting to progressive strengthening, every part of treatment is designed to help you return to real life with greater confidence.
Start your recovery
Your hands are complex.
Their care should be specialized.
A Certified Hand Therapist is an occupational or physical therapist with advanced training in treating the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
Riviera’s therapists bring decades of combined experience treating injuries, surgeries, wounds, pain, and complex conditions.
Every visit is one-on-one with a Certified Hand Therapist.
Hand and upper-extremity care
Conditions we treat
Fractures & Post-Surgical Recovery
Rehabilitation after fractures and surgery, including support for wound healing, scars, swelling, and restoring movement.
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Tendon, Nerve & Soft Tissue Injuries
Care for tendon repairs, ligament sprains, nerve injuries, carpal tunnel, De Quervain’s, and trigger finger.
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Postpartum Wrist & Hand Pain
In-home care for wrist and hand pain, with practical support for feeding, lifting, and carrying your baby.
LEARN MORESports & Overuse Injuries
Care for pain and repetitive strain related to tennis, golf, climbing, fitness, work, and everyday activities.
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Pediatric Hand Therapy
Child-centered care and custom splinting for injuries, recovery after surgery, developmental differences, and congenital conditions.
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Arthritis & Chronic Conditions
Support for arthritis, persistent joint pain, stiffness, and limited movement, with strategies to make daily activities more comfortable.
LEARN MORECare tailored to you
Specialized hand therapy services
One-on-one mobile care designed around your condition, recovery, and daily life.
Custom orthosesIndividually molded splints designed to protect healing structures, support painful joints, and improve function.
Postoperative rehabilitationSpecialized rehabilitation following hand, wrist, elbow, tendon, nerve, fracture, or joint surgery.
Pediatric hand therapyChild-centered therapy and custom splinting for injuries, postoperative needs, and congenital conditions.Learn more →
Wound, scar & edema careSkilled care for healing wounds, swelling, sensitivity, scar mobility, and safe return to hand use.Learn more →
Physician coordination is included in the Riviera approach. With your permission, we communicate with your surgeon or referring provider so your treatment remains aligned.
Your therapy team
Meet Kate, Heather, and Rekha
You’ll work directly with Kate Saley, Heather Van Buren, or Rekha Best throughout your care. We take time to understand your goals, collaborate with your physician when appropriate, and create a plan tailored to your recovery.
MEET KATE, HEATHER, AND REKHA →
Your care journey
What to expect
A clear path from first contact to confident movement.
Schedule
Choose a convenient time online or contact us directly.
→Consultation
We briefly review your needs and make sure Riviera is the right fit.
→Evaluation
Your therapist completes a detailed assessment and creates a treatment plan.
→Return to activity
Treatment progresses toward work, parenting, sports, and daily function.
Care that comes to you
Mobile hand therapy across Santa Barbara and nearby communities
We provide in-home hand therapy throughout:
- Santa Barbara
- Montecito
- Summerland
- Carpinteria
- Goleta
- The Santa Ynez Valley
- Ventura County
Located nearby and unsure whether you fall within our service area? Please contact us.
Photo: Shandi Nicole / Unsplash · Cropped to fit.
Patient experiences
What our patients are saying
My wrist was hurting every time I picked up my baby, but honestly, the thought of packing everything up and getting to another appointment was just… a lot. Having someone come to me made it so much easier. We actually looked at how I was holding the baby and how I was feeding her, and made a few changes right there. It was just really nice to get help without having to figure out one more thing.
When my wrist started hurting, I ignored the pain. I play a few times a week and really didn’t want to give it up. I reached out to the girls at Riviera to see if they could help. I liked that the goal wasn’t just ‘stop playing and rest.’ We talked about what I could change, what I needed to work on, and how to get me back on the court without making things worse. Having an actual plan made me feel a lot better.
I don’t know what I would have done without my hand therapist. The surgeon put me back together, but the therapist got my left arm working again.
Read more patient experiences
I had no idea how much wrist pain could affect taking care of my newborn until it started hurting every time I picked her up. Even getting her out of the bassinet was painful. I really liked that we could go through everything at home—the chair I feed her in, how I hold her, even the pillows I use. It felt very specific to me and what I was actually doing all day. Beyond grateful.
I’d had elbow pain for months and kept thinking, ‘It’ll go away.’ Well, it didn’t. I finally decided I needed to do something about it. I really appreciated having Kate take the time to figure out what was going on. Kate showed me ways to adapt my workplace to support my elbow more. She also was able to target the muscles that had become weak, which ultimately got me better. Being able to do the appointments at home was honestly so much easier.
Recovering from hand surgery felt overwhelming at first, but having a Certified Hand Therapist come to my home made the entire process feel manageable. Each visit was thoughtful and tailored to where I was in the healing timeline. What gave me the most confidence was the consistent collaboration with my surgeon. I always felt that everyone was aligned and communicating about my progress. That level of coordination made a huge difference in my recovery and peace of mind.
After sustaining a complicated forearm fracture, I honestly didn’t know what my recovery would look like. I underwent surgery and was told it would be a long rehabilitation process. As someone who plays tennis regularly, I was worried I might never return to the sport I love.
From the beginning, my therapy was structured, progressive, and closely aligned with my surgeon’s protocol. There was consistent communication between my therapist and treating physician, which reassured me that each stage of movement, strengthening, and loading was appropriate and safe.
The in-home sessions allowed for focused attention on range of motion, scar mobility, strength, and gradual return to functional activities. Today, I’m back on the tennis court. I’m grateful not only for the physical recovery, but for the expertise and collaboration that made it possible.
Your next step
Request an appointment
Start with a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation, or choose an appointment below.
Questions before booking? Call or email us—we’re happy to help.
Call (805) 680-6558 · info@rivierahandtherapy.com
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For your privacy, please avoid including sensitive medical details in email.
We’re here to help
Have a question first?
Not sure whether we treat your concern, or how an in-home visit works? Send us a question—there’s no need to book first.
We’ll get back to you within one business day.
Prefer to contact us directly?
info@rivierahandtherapy.com
(805) 680-6558
Please keep your message general and avoid including sensitive medical details.
Have a question first?
Not ready to book? Send us a note and we'll get back to you within one business day. Whether you're wondering if we treat your condition, how the in-home process works, or anything else, we're happy to help. We personally respond to all inquiries within one business day.
We look forward to connecting with you.
info@rivierahandtherapy.com
(805) 680-6558
