This story is sponsored by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.
Since taking over an established therapy clinic in 2019, Kelsey Carrico has been steadily expanding both the services and impact of Hand Therapy Plus Total Body Rehab. Now nearing the six-year mark, the locally owned outpatient therapy center continues to thrive, serving a wide range of patients while preparing to host a Client Appreciation Day on June 6.
Carrico, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist, opened the clinic at 122 E. 18th Street after purchasing the business from Rob and Kate Abney, whom she worked with since 2016. She had also been a student of Rob’s and a tech at the clinic before pursuing graduate studies.
“I have always wanted to own my own business and follow in my father’s footsteps, who owned his own dental practice for over 20 years,” Carrico said. “Once I became the owner, I was able to make my own decisions on the services we offered, treatment approaches, and how the business could impact the community.”
Hand Therapy Plus offers outpatient occupational and physical therapy services for patients ranging from children to seniors. The clinic specializes in orthopedics, neurological conditions, certified hand therapy, pelvic floor therapy, chronic pain, vertigo, lymphedema, and more. The facility is also equipped with advanced tools such as an anti-gravity treadmill and offers various manual therapy techniques including myofascial release, dry needling, cupping, and kinesiotaping.
“We treat our patients like family and try to get to the root cause of their conditions, versus treating just a body part,” Carrico said. “Many of our patients tell their doctors they want to come to therapy with us and refuse to go other places, which makes me feel like we’ve been doing things right.”
That community support has helped the clinic grow largely through word of mouth, Carrico said.
Carrico has been an occupational therapist for nearly nine years and a certified hand therapist for more than four. She earned her master’s degree from Spalding University after completing a bachelor’s in exercise science at Western Kentucky University. A graduate of Daviess County High School, Carrico now specializes in shoulder-to-hand conditions and pelvic floor therapy—a field she entered after being introduced by fellow therapist Ashlee Hicks.
In addition to running her business, Carrico is a mother of three and remains active in the community, recently coaching her daughter’s elementary volleyball team and preparing to coach middle school volleyball at Mary Carrico Catholic School this fall.
Hand Therapy Plus will host a Client Appreciation Day on Thursday, June 6, from noon to 3 p.m. The event will include a food truck, local vendors, giveaways, a yoga session with Lou Schultz from 12:30-1 p.m., and inflatables for kids.
“This is a chance to say thank you to the community that’s supported us,” Carrico said. “All are welcome to come.”
Carrico said the most rewarding part of her job is building relationships with patients and helping them avoid unnecessary surgeries while improving their quality of life.
“We don’t treat just ‘hands,’ we treat the whole body holistically,” she said. “We provide one-to-one, hands-on treatments, accept most insurances including Medicaid, and offer self-pay options.”
For more information, visit www.handtherapyplustotalbodyrehab.com, find the clinic on Facebook at @HTPlusOwensboro or Instagram at @HandTherapyPlusTotalBodyRehab, or call (270) 926-2212.
The Chamber Member of the Week program is a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce membership benefit. Founded in 1913, the Chamber has worked to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals for over a century.
Today, with nearly 1,000 members, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives and serves as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.
To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or inquire about Chamber membership, contact Kitty Jones, director of membership, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].
