Client Reviews

“Suffered an injury while playing volleyball, couldn’t move my thumb which stopped me playing for a while. After a few sessions with Michelle I was able to return to volleyball and my thumb is stronger than before. Very happy with the results and the process was made very simple.”

“I was referred to Michelle by my physiotherapist after I sustained an injury to my hand, specifically my thumb. While not a major injury, it was quite painful and affecting my ability to do normal activities. Michelle assessed the injury, measured movement and strength, and devised a programme of massage and strengthening exercises. After just 3 sessions with Michelle and having followed her programme over 6 weeks I see a great improvement in mobility and strength and have significantly less pain than before. Hopefully this will continue. I recommend her very highly.”

“I contacted Michelle with a bad injury in my right forefinger. With her guidance I was thankfully able to repair and strengthen the area in a matter of a few months! My new job is very hand heavy and flared an already minor issue into something much worse, I am very glad to have found The Hand Therapist. Highly recommended Michelle as she is incredibly knowledgeable, patient and clearly spoken. Also being able to cater to online sessions was great as I have limited transport.”

“I’ve seen Michelle on 2 occasions now. All for different injuries. The first a few years ago for a problem with my wrist and this second time for an elbow and finger issue. I had zero hesitation in contacting Michelle again. Her expert knowledge, first class professionalism and patient care has not only completely healed my injuries for a second time but has also stopped them from coming back. She really is the best in the business! Thank you Michelle!”

“Michelle is obviously a very experienced Practitioner having worked at one of the top London teaching hospitals for a number of years. She seamlessly picked up where my Physio in NZ left off following my operation from Dupuytren's surgery. She introduced some new exercises and her use of the Track Active App provides a discipline and a tool to record progress and feedback. With a set of measurements at the first session it was easy to see the progress made against the measurements at my last session today. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Michelle’s services.”

“Where do I start, from the moment I met Michelle I knew she was one of the most genuine and caring woman I have ever met and believe me in my job I meet many! Having suffered for months after a fall down the stairs my small finger had ligament damage and was badly bent, i was in so much pain. I found Michelle through Google search and travelled from Fermanagh which was a 2hr drive! oh was it worth it.

I have now completed my time with Michelle and feel I have my left hand back again something I thought wasn’t likely as I had left it so long to find therapy. My biggest regret was not looking sooner. But here I am now and delighted with what Michelle did for me. My advice is if you have a hand injury get it sorted sooner rather than later and I couldn’t recommend Michelle highly enough. I will miss our chats Michelle all the best, keep up the great work from a very happy customer .”

“I saw Michelle after cubital tunnel release surgery last year . I had been experiencing ulnar clawing, numbness and tingling of my fourth and fifth fingers of my dominant hand. I work using my hands in a lab which was becoming increasingly difficult and often painful. From the very start Michelle was amazing, I received excellent care that was patient focused to my needs.”

“Michelle Razo has been an absolute breath of fresh air for our 9 year old daughter who has hemiplegia cerebral palsy affecting the left side of her body, particularly her hand. We've been seeing Michelle for several years now, and the difference in our daughter's hand movement and strength is truly remarkable.”

“Three months after an unfortunate accident which traumatised, fractured and shortened the smallest finger of my dominant hand, I had the privilege of being referred for Hand Therapy to Michelle Razo. Over the past 5 months I have received excellent care, advice and encouragement.

Michelle was always kind, knowledgeable and professional while setting achievable goals and challenging me to persevere and believe in the process of recovery.”

“I sustained a very nasty wrist, elbow and shoulder injury, so mobility was very poor and painful. Michelle Razo’s exercise programmes via my mobile app, heat treatments. massages and stretches were continually evaluated, updated and explained at length so I understood the difficulties I was having and the benefits from the exercises. Michelle is tirelessly dedicated to achieving the best results and I cannot thank or recommend her enough. I am so very grateful to her.”

“Michelle helped me recover from a mallet finger injury to enable me to effectively extend my finger again. Great healthcare experience!”

“I sustained a very nasty wrist, elbow and shoulder injury, so mobility was very poor and painful. Michelle’s exercise programmes via my mobile app, heat treatments. massages and stretches were continually evaluated, updated and explained at length so I understood the difficulties I was having and the benefits from the exercises. Michelle is tirelessly dedicated to achieving the best results and I cannot thank or recommend her enough. I am so very grateful to her. Thank you so much Michelle”

"Where do I start, from the moment I met Michelle I knew she was one of the most genuine and caring woman I have ever met and believe me in my job I meet many! Having suffered for months after a fall down the stairs my small finger had ligament damage and was badly bent, i was in so much pain. I found Michelle through Google search and travelled from Fermanagh which was a 2hr drive! oh was it worth it.

I have now completed my time with Michelle and feel I have my left hand back again something I thought wasn’t likely as I had left it so long to find therapy. My biggest regret was not looking sooner. But here I am now and delighted with what Michelle did for me. My advice is if you have a hand injury get it sorted sooner rather than later and I couldn’t recommend Michelle highly enough. I will miss our chats Michelle all the best, keep up the great work from a very happy customer.”

"Michelle Razo was able to provide a diagnosis of trigger finger, issues with my ulnar/median nerves and forearm muscles. I wasn’t able to get this diagnosis elsewhere and Michelle made me very confident that I would be able to return to my sport following her recovery program without the need for steroid injections etc. Michelle was very supportive and knowledgable, I highly recommend!"

"Michelle Razo was brilliant. I had been having pain in my wrist that was shooting pains up my arm. Michelle gave me a thorough examination and gave me exercises, it continued to improve each time and I feel more comfortable and my strength is back. Michelle was lovely to chat to during our sessions and very helpful."

"I had been suffering from pain in my index finger for months, and despite several visits to my GP it had not improved at all. This was particularly debilitating as the pain flared up when playing guitar, and was severely restricting the amount I could play and practice.

Michelle Razo was able to diagnose the issue at my first appointment and created a hand therapy programme tailored specifically for my injury.

Having followed this programme, which was expanded and built upon during follow-up appointments, I am extremely happy with how much I have progressed. I have been able to return to practicing and playing guitar consistently without experiencing pain and I am so grateful to Michelle for her help and expertise. I would highly, highly recommend!"

"After fracturing my wrist quite badly last August I was left with a lot of swelling, stiffness, no grip and an awful numb/tingling sensation in my hand day & night. On my first visit Michelle Razo fully assessed by hand and wrist, took measurements and tested my strength. Not only was Michelle extremely knowledgeable & helpful in getting me set up with a programme of heat treatment, massages, stretches & exercises that I could follow between appointments, she totally understood my concerns and worries about the state of my hand and wrist.

As well as an excellent therapist, Michelle Razo is a wonderful person, so warm with genuine interest in the person as well as the problem. Thank you so much Michelle, I really enjoyed our sessions and I could never have got my hand & wrist back to near normal without you!"

"I live in NE England and dislocated my left thumb whilst on holiday in Australia which required surgery, also suffering a nasty injury to my right palm. My surgeon strongly recommended I find a good Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) as soon as I returned home to UK.

Having also suffered with palindromic rheumatoid arthritis I was very anxious about further injuries to both hands and a google search led me to Michelle Razo @ The Hand Therapist based in Belfast. the online reviews were exceptional and I booked an introductory virtual Zoom meeting.

Michelle Razo's professional guidance and support over another 4 virtual meetings has been incredible. My CHT journey has been excellent with many tools and techniques to improve movement and accelerate my recovery. My confidence is using both hands has been transformational in just over two months.

She is a genuinely wonderful lady and I have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone across the world. The virtual meetings were fully effective at an extremely reasonable cost."

"Michelle Razo was such a kind and welcoming lady who spent alot of time examining my wrist. She made sure I understood exactly what was happening and why.

Unlike other medical professionals I felt she cared and understood. We have a plan in place and hopefully it will work but I'm very optimistic based on my first appointment.

I can't comment long term but if today is anything to go by then I'm in good hands, excuse the pun. Definitely worth giving her a shout if you're in pain or having any issues.”

"I am a primary school teacher and I recently developed severe pain in my right wrist which was making my job very difficult. I had an x-ray and was told that it was a repetitive strain injury and was offered OT. A colleague recommended Michelle Raz to me and I can honestly sat she has been amazing.

During my first consultation she realised that I also had deQuervain's and RSI. My GP had suggested that I might need an injection in my wrist and that if this didn't work then perhaps I would need surgery. As I have lymphedema in both arms due to breast cancer surgery/treatment I wanted to avoid injections/surgery if possible.

Thanks to the wonderful work done by Michelle I am now pain free and avoided going down the injection/surgery route. During each session with Michelle she did a variety of exercises with me and then put the exercises onto an app for me to work on at home. Michelle Razo is such a lovely person to work with. For anyone hoping to avoid injections/surgery I highly recommend her. She is AMAZING! Thank you for everything, Michelle.”

"As a healthcare professional myself I would not hesitate to recommend Michelle. I experienced great difficulty in getting a definitive diagnosis despite seeing other physios and dealing with the NHS. (Wrist triangular fibrocartilage injuries). Michelle gave a definite diagnosis during the initial appointment and provided a comprehensive holistic treatment plan with a focus on the root of the problem and prevention of further injury.

I was impressed with her clinical knowledge and examination technique. She has also provided timely and comprehensive clinical documentation which facilitated me in getting the appropriate support from occupational health at work. You get what you pay for and I think given the complexity of hand, wrist and upper limb issues it is well worth seeking assessment by a specialist as opposed to a generalist physio .

If I had followed the advice given via other physios and the NHS i have no doubt my condition would have deteriorated. I would 100% recommend her to friends and family.”

"I'm a musician and a guitar teacher and struggled with RSI/carpal tunnel symptoms for months before finding out about The Hand Therapist and decided to book a virtual appointment.

From the start Michelle was professional while being super nice and friendly. It was clear that she is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about what she does. I then had an in person appointment and Michelle had told me to bring my guitar. I thought that was really great. We looked at how I hold the guitar when I'm playing, my posture when playing etc. (all things that could have been causing symptoms).

Michelle is so great at what she does and I don't think you'll get this kind of help anywhere else in NI when it comes to hands. It's worth parting with a little bit of money to get some actual help and to be taken seriously. I had 3 appointments, only one of them being in person and for me that was really at it took. My hand is doing great and I'm very, very grateful. Thanks so much Michelle!”

"I had a very good experience Michelle Razo at The Hand Therapist. After injuring my hand around 12 months ago while playing football and having problems ever since I was suggested to visit a hand specialist (something that I was not aware of). Browsing the internet I found The Hand Therapist.

Michelle, over 3 sessions, used her brilliant expertise to help give a diagnosis to my injury and supplied me with multiple exercises to help regain the strength, movement and flexibility back into my hand.

If anyone has experienced an injury in their hand, I would highly recommend visiting Michelle Razo The Hand Therapist.”

"I am very grateful to the Michelle Razo The Hand Therapist who through her exercises removed the swelling from my hands and gave me back power in them. She has also strengthened my arms tremendously. I would wholeheartedly recommend her services to anyone with problems in their hands or upper body.”

"Excellent service! Michelle Razo was able to explain my injury so clearly and helped me understand my treatment plan. I really appreciated understanding how the injury to my finger had impacted its function, and how the various massages, stretches and strengthening exercises would support its recovery. Would definitely be coming back and seeking her support if I sprained my finger again - rather than just assuming it would heal on its own. I would not have had such a great recovery without Michelle Razo’s expertise! Thanks Michelle!”

"TFCC/ ECU/ OVERALL DECONDITIONING FROM LENGTH OF INJURY.

I injured my wrist at work around November time 2023 and was having trouble/pain doing even routine tasks such as brushing my teeth and eating.

I’ll try and be concise here, I basically seen a number of Physio’s, osteo and had an MRI nobody really gave me a solution but I kept trying to find someone/thing that could help.

I then luckily came across Michelle Razo’s practice and from day 1 I felt like this was different, she specialises in only the hand to shoulder area and was confident she could get me sorted. Michelle tailored my exercise program every step of the way and has found a route back to get my wrist close to 100% and I am still finding improvement.

She is a true specialist a very good listener and goes the extra mile, if you are having any kind of hand, wrist or arm issue do not look any further than this.”

"Following surgery after sustaining a fracture dislocation of my left elbow, I discovered uncomfortable tension in my left hand and lack of mobility in my index finger.

Michelle Razo’s knowledge and expertise, through a personally tailored program of guided exercises has made immeasurable difference and has improved my dexterity and confidence completely. Her warm, reassuring approach made sessions enjoyable and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her as an excellent hand therapist.”

"I would like to thank Michelle Razo for the help and support she has provided me over the last number of months in helping me reduce the pain and increase the mobility of my hands, which had become quite painful due to osteoarthritis. Michelle analysed the issues i had and came up with a treatment plan to help strengthen the muscles in my hand resulting in me greatly improving the use of my hands and with much reduced pain levels. I would recommend Michelle Razo to anyone with similar issues.”

"I had been suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) in both of my index fingers for several years and have had several steroid injections with limited effect. After exhausting my GP options I came across The Hand Therapist by accident and have been working with Michelle for about 6 months now. In that time, she worked on reducing joint swelling, strengthening the affected tendons & muscles, and increasing my mobility. Having just been discharged I have regained about 80% of mobility in my affected fingers and now able to perform tasks from opening jars to using the rowing machine again. Having been told by more than one GP that I would have to live with the effects of OA, the improvement is nothing short of transformational. I now have the toolkit and knowledge to continue working against the effects of OA and cannot recommend Michelle highly enough if you have any issues with your hands.”

"I couldn’t have asked for a better Hand Therapist than Michelle Razo in the Holywood clinic. Extremely professional, knowledgeable and caring. Always reassuring and always there if you had any questions. Would highly recommend, you can’t go wrong! Thank you Michelle!”

"I attended Michelle to get help with correcting a problem with fingers on my hands. The service provided was very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. I was unaware that dedicated hand therapists where available prior to meeting Michelle and really grateful to her for the treatment plan implemented which has been successful. Thank you.”

"Last year I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis which impacted the flexibility and strength of both my hands. I have been seeing Michelle Razo at The Hand Therapy clinic in Holywood and my hands are massively improved showing greater flexibility and strength. Michelle’s approach to my therapy has done wonders for my hand strength and more importantly, she has slowly built my confidence to a stage where I am now able use my hands fully for everyday tasks. A brilliant resource in the North Down area. Give Michelle a call if you have any problems with your hands!”

"Michelle was very thorough. Took her time to access any problems I was having. I found her very knowledgeable and would not hesitate to go back if needing any further treatment/advice.”

“Michelle was able to provide a diagnosis of trigger finger, issues with my ulnar/median nerves and forearm muscles. I wasn’t able to get this diagnosis elsewhere and Michelle made me very confident that I would be able to return to my sport following her recovery program without the need for steroid injections etc.”