About

Laura Bechtold, OTR/L, CHT, is a Certified Hand Therapist with over 35 years of experience treating patients with a wide variety of upper extremity conditions in orthopedic and plastic/reconstructive hand surgery/therapy centers. She has been employed at TCO since 2018. She graduated from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN, with a Bachelor of Art in Occupational Therapy in 1985. She has presented at several conferences, including the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hand Therapists in 1992, 1993, and 1998; “Dynamic Wrist Flexion/Extension Splint” at “Comprehensive Approach to Challenging Wrist Problems” in 1993; “Osteoarthritis of the Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint” at the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference in 2003; and the TRIA Annual Hand Therapy Conference in 2019. Most recently, she has been a presenter at the Twin Cities Orthotic Skill Building Workshops in 2021 and 2022.

Education

Bachelor of Art in Occupational Therapy, College of St. Catherine (1985)

Professional Certifications

Hand Therapy Certification (CHT)
Graston Technique Specialist Credential (GTS)

Professional Affiliations

American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT)

Achievements & Awards

Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association Research Award (1988)
Presented research on hand rehabilitation topics at Annual Meeting of American Society of Hand Therapists: effects of silicone gel on scar tissue (1992), therapy outcomes following carpal tunnel release (1993) and volume changes following exercise (1998).

Publications

“Early Active Mobilization of Flexor Tendon Repairs Utilizing the Double Loop Locking Suture Technique” (Groth, Bechtold, Young); Journal of Hand Therapy, July/September 1995