Saba Kamal, OTR, CHT

Saba Kamal

Senior Staff Therapist  

Saba is a Certified Hand Therapist and was the American Society of Hand Therapists – California Chapter President for 2010, 2011 and 2018 and recipient of 2010 and 2011 National Chapter awards. She now serves as the Annual Program Chair for the Hand Therapy Association of California conferences.

She is a member of American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists. ASSET is a group of multidisciplinary professionals in the area of shoulder and elbow rehabilitation who place a high value on efficacious exemplary patient care. The membership criterion reflects the expectation of the highest quality research, scholarship and patient care. ASSET membership is by invitation only.

She is also a member of American Association of Hand Surgery (AAHS) She was invited to a round table discussion of Emerging practices in Dupuytrens Disease and has written an article for them on this topic and on Management of Dystonia via Taping. She was invited to speak at the 2018 AAHS conference in Arizona on Neuropathic Pain.In 2019 she is invited to host a panel discussion at the International Federation of Societies of Hand Therapists in Berlin, Germany. She was invited to speak at the American Society of Peripheral Nerves (ASPN) meeting on the latest in modalities when treating nerve injuries in Palm Desert 2019. She presented at the American Society of Surgery of Hand (ASSH) at a panel discussion on wrist fractures in Las Vegas 2019. She presented and chaired the panel on Management of nerve compressions and transfers at the European Federation of Hand Therapists in Rimini, Italy in 2023. Some of the comments of the talk can be reviewed on LinkedIn

She has written a chapter on Reasoning and Critical thinking in Hand and Upper extremity Rehab for a textbook “Fundamentals of Hand Therapy”

She is the Partner/Principal of Advanced Rehab Seminars, providing specialized continuing education for the Upper Extremity to therapists all over United States of America and Overseas. All the courses taught are from Shoulder to Hand

The talks include  

• Manual medicine for the upper quadrant- taking it to the next level, includes joint and soft tissue mobilization
• Sports medicine for the upper quadrant – with splinting and taping
• Paradigm of differential diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of the upper quadrant nerve & orthopedic systems
• Comprehensive management of the post-surgical arm
• Comparative taping Leuko and Kinesio for the Upper Quadrant
• Management of the Stiff Arm
• Neural Mobilization of the Upper Quadrant, with Myofascial Mobilization
• A Practical Approach to Solving Complex Upper Extremity Cases

Saba was the Past President California Chapter of ASHT now Hand Therapy Association of CA
She served as the Program Chair for ASHT-Ca Chapter Conferences 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019

 She served on the conference committee for ASSET’s national conference 2016. She presented on on Elbow contracture: The broken Kinetic Chain in the Upper Quadrant. She also presented on Brachial Neuritis management – A hierarchical approach to managing complex injuries at the 2018 ASSET conference in Chicago 2018. In 2020 presented on case study comparing Lacertus Vs. Radial Nerve involvement

Conferences organized and talks given at (Conference Chair) From 2011 to 2019 listed below: 1st: Collaborative approach to flexor tendon management 2nd: Elbow – The unforgiving joint: Surgical and therapeutic management 3rd: Keys to the Wrist and the Hand 4th All about nerves 5th The Traumatic Arm 6th Dorsal Dynamics 7th Future of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery and Therapy 8th Reasoning Made Critical 9th When things go wrong In 2022 presented on Tip and tricks in the assessment and treatment of Tremors, Tendonitis and Nerve compressions – Click here for the talk

Her poster presentation include: Velcro-less splint design for 1st CMC joint arthritis Wide buddy loop for the treatment of RCL injury to the Index finger Lateral Epicondylitis Vs. Radial Tunnel – Total Management

See what surgeons have to say about Saba and her staff

Dr. Jeffrey Yao: (Stanford) I have worked with Saba Kamal for over a decade and I wholeheartedly trust her and her colleagues at Hands-On-Care with any of my patients who require basic and complex hand therapy techniques. Saba is my “go-to” hand therapist in all of the South Bay!

Dr. Deborah Farynairz:  Saba and her staff are nothing short of amazing. They are organized, Compassionate, and on top of their game.  Saba is one of the top in her field. She’s intelligent, well read, excellent with “hands-on“ care and a great diagnostician. I trust her with my patients and my own care.

Dr. Jaret Butler (PAMF): Saba and her team have been instrumental in providing care for my patients. For years, they have continued to deliver excellent patient care and help my patients achieve the best possible outcome.

Dr. Gordon Bordy (SOAR): Saba is a superb clinician, devoted to her patients.

Dr. Erick Kagel: Saba is not only able to treat simple injuries but also very complex Upper Extremity injuries and optimize their results.

Dr. Reginald McCoy: (PAMF) I have found Saba to be extraordinarily helpful to my patients, with a professional demeanor and capabilities. She has demonstrated clinical competence of an excellent caliber.

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Dr. Buncke  Dr. Chang  – Chief of Stanford Plastics	Dr. Lisa Lattanza -Chief of Yale	Dr. Catherine Curtin -Stanford
Dr. Andrew Watt – Buncke Clinic	Dr. Brice Blatz	Dr. Costorous
Dr. Robin Kamal

Articles written include:

• 2020 article: Role of nutrition in Hand Therapy 
• 2020 article on Does Botox for migraine on EDS or hyper-mobility syndrome patients set them up for future problems?
• 2018 article on The Confidence Code” The ingredient therapists lack when discussing patient care with the surgeons
• 2017 article on  “What value do Hand Therapists bring to the Value Based Payment system? And how do we objectify it.” was published in AAHS newsletter
• Wrote an article for the therapist’s corner for AAHS newsletter on Management of Focal dystonia via Taping Dec 2014
• Wrote an article for the therapist’s corner for AAHS newsletter on Dupuytrens management Dec 2011
• Invited to join the round table discussion with top hand surgeons in the country on Dupuytren’s disease by AAHS Dec 2011. Published in AAHS newsletter.
• Published Articles in the Texas Chapter Newsletter on Ring Splint protocol on Zone V Extensor Tendon repair and ECU Subluxation management.
• Contributor to book on Arthritis “Arthritis Rx: A Cutting-Edge Program for a Pain-Free Life” by Dr. V. Vad 2006

She has treated players from various sports teams: Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Giants. Tennis players, JP Fruttero, BMX rider R. Nyquist etc. 

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Current Research: Currently seeking candidates for study

• Tremors related to peripheral nerve injuries

Previous research: Medial Elbow Pain: A Result of Shoulder Weakness in Tennis

This research was conducted in conjunction with University of Kentucky health sciences (Kibler’s group)

Ms. Kamal has given several talks at ASHT conference and IFSHT, and taught courses in Italy and India to various groups. For a list of her talk, please contact us at 408-268-8536

Community Service:

Other articles:

1. Grade I and II Dynamic Scapho-Lunate Instability Treated with Proprioception Via Dynamic Taping and Neuromuscular control: Click here 
2. Wide buddy loop splint for the treatment of Radial Collateral Ligament of MP joint of the Index finger: Click here
3. Novel orthotic design for lateral band attenuation
   of finger PIP joint – A case report Click here
4. PIP joint implant subsidence Click Here