042: Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness (CMMS) with Kantessa Stewart, OTR/L, CHT

Please join Hand to Shoulder podcast members Ann and Cassie as they interview Kantessa Stewart out of Southwestern Ohio Orthopedics discussing a hand therapy technique called CMMS for addressing stiff joints. Kantessa talks through launching the program and how patients with stiff joints benefit from casting to relieve stiffness. Learn clinical pearls regarding materials and length of time in between castings. We hope you gather takeaways of confidence and empowerment to try a new technique.

Kantessa Stewart has been an Occupational Therapist since 1999 and a Certified Hand Therapist since 2007.  She received a Certificate in the Advanced Practice of Hand and Upper Quarter Rehabilitation from Drexel University in 2007.  Kantessa has spent the majority of her career in out-patient orthopedics starting in hospital based for the first 10 years of her career moving to a physician-owned practice for the last 15 years.  She has developed Transitional Work Programs providing specialized Hand Therapy in Manufacturing Facilities, expanded a small Hand Therapy program within a local hospital,  and opened Hand Therapy Satellite Clinics for the physician owned practice where she is employed.  

Kantessa has worked diligently to expand the knowledge of Hand Therapy in western Ohio, develop sound programs with skilled therapists, provide continuous learning opportunities for staff and started the Dayton Hand Therapy Group scheduling bimonthly continuing education.  She has lectured on various topics of the upper extremity at both State and National Conferences including ASHT, OOTA and ASSH, Virtual Platforms and has taught Orthosis Fabrication at local colleges.   Currently she is employed within the Hand Center of Southwestern Ohio/Orthopedic Associates as a Clinical Manager, carrying a full patient caseload.  She collaborates with the surgeons on protocol development, assists in Journal Club planning, organizes staffing in therapy clinics and serves as a Clinical Specialist within the Hand Therapy Department.  Kantessa thrives on challenges and strives to search for solutions for patients not responding to traditional therapy techniques.  Her interest in CMMS began after taking a Virtual CMMS Course taught by Robyn Midgley.  Since then she has worked hard to utilize Judy Colditz’s technique in the clinic to help patients with limited motion not responding to their courses of treatment.  Kantessa continued to further develop her understanding of the CMMS technique by mentoring from Judy Colditz  to problem-solve difficult cases.  She assists in leading the bimonthly CMMS Discussion Group sponsored by BraceLab and is working with a team of Hand Therapists to develop a 1 and 2 day Hands-on Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness course for ASHT  which is due to be released this year.   Kantessa is passionate about sharing the CMMS technique with other therapists because of the change it has made in her own practice and the successful outcomes she has seen with her patients.  Kantessa is excited to be presenting on the CMMS technique at IFSHT and the Texas Hand Society meeting in 2025.

Kantessa’s contact info - [e-mail]

www.linkedin.com/in/kantessa-stewart-otr-l-cht-853219235