Make sure that Hands Up actually is registered with your insurance BEFORE paying for services. I paid in full at the time of service after Hands Up represented to me that my insurance would accept their claims, only to find out months later (after multiple follow-ups and attempts to submit the claims myself) that they are not in fact registered providers with my insurance. I was originally told the issue would be resolved months ago, but more than five months on, I am still out $300. read more

I first came here after a wrist fracture, and where I had a cast on for 8 weeks. Shortly after my cast removal, I began O.T. here at Hands-Up. While I've only had limited interaction with Pepie, she seems very good at running this place, training and managing the therapists, the scheduling, etc. I've been working with Toby, and think he is spectacular. I've done my share of P.T. at other facilities (after other injuries, etc.), and often times the therapists aren't all that remarkable, and they often are working on multiple clients at one time. What I especially like about Toby is that...it's clear that he is extremely knowledgeable, and he always employs a host of different techniques, each time I see him. Also, whenever he is working on my hand/wrist/forearm, to help improve range of motion, etc., it always feels like he's intuiting precisely what I need, at that point in time. (In other words, he's not just going through the motions, or doing a bunch of pressing here or there, because it might look 'impressive'. He's clearly very intuitive, and customizes his O.T. work on me, for each session. I should also add that....he's got a great personality and sense of humor, which helps make the sometimes-intense O.T. sessions, a bit more tolerable ;-) I'm very grateful to Toby, and to Hands-Up, as a whole, for giving me the tools to get back my wrist mobility and extension/flexion. read more

My husband has been coming to Hands Up for almost a month, after injuring his right index finger and having surgery. I came with him the first few times and met Eleni who has done wonders for my husband. He started with a full cast, then Eleni made a splint for him. She is such a darling person...very sweet and very knowledgeable. He has been going there two times a week for therapy and already he can make a fist, which is amazing!! Making an appointment was fast and easy. The office is clean and cheerful. My husband was very lucky to have found Eleni! read more

I can not say enough how incredible my experience has been! From calling to inquire abt insurance, availability and up until my visit Hands Up has been nothing shorty of amazing! I'm only two weeks/ 4 sessions in and I've progressed beyond my expectations! I had a freak accident, where my luggage from the overhead compartment fell onto only one finger- my index finger early December. I was referred to a PT group that has locations throughout the city and they treated me like I was just another patient on the assembly line just in the initial stages! I decided to cxl the visit and not waste my time! I found Hands up on Yelp! 1. Initially calling - no answer, I didn't leave a msg and figured I'd just call later BUT they called me within an hr - Great, this doesn't usually happen. Extremely pleasant and very helpful! 2. Location- Super convenient, always CLEAN and cute space 3. Sessions and treatments- I've been working with Eleni and she is hands down awesome - everyone there is that I've crossed paths with but Eleni has helped me go from read more

I've been seen there for ten months. I was very surprised and happy to discover how kind, compassionate and caring Eleni and the administration have been. They treat the whole person, including the emotional factors of the injuries, in addition to addressing the physical problems. I don't think that I would have come as far as I have in a less sensitive environment. I'm pretty sure that I have more therapy in store there, and I look forward to working with Hands Up again. Cheryl B. read more

Kelsey was an absolutely amazing occupational therapist and was there for me through all the ups and downs of my rehabilitation, from conservative management to recovery from surgery. The Hands Up team was absolutely amazing. From day one of seeing my orthopedic surgeon they were there for support. Pepie made me a custom brace and made an appointment with her team the day of my appointment. Kelsey, my therapist, was there for me for the full nine months of my treatment. It went from feeling hopeless in not being able to do ordinary tasks to a complete 180 being able to support my body weight on my wrist. Throughout all of it she stayed positive, even when I couldn't because it felt like nothing would ever change. The entire Hands Up team was amazing. They create a fun environment where there was actual laughter and not just a clinical disposition. They're a small team and all support each other. When there was a walk-in for a consultation or custom brace, they worked together to ensure that the walk-in got a great experience without compromising the experience of the scheduled patients. If you have a hand or wrist injury, definitely go to Hands Up. All of them are great, but I'd ask for Kelsey. She ensured that no matter how I felt, that we pushed through and got me to recovery. read more

Are there enough stars in a review for an OT who gives you back the use of a finger on your dominant hand? Especially when we're talking more than six months after the injury was sustained? If I could give Pepie and Hands Up 10 stars, I would. After a fall resulted in a mallet finger, a hand surgeon splinted me and referred me a PT/OT practice. Although everyone had the best intentions, my finger did not straighten and I was in near constant pain or sensitivity and discomfort. I went through three rounds of PT/OT (roughly 4-6 weeks each) and saw no improvement. I gave up. After my partner urged me to see another hand surgeon, I was referred to Hands Up OT and met Pepie. A little over a month later, my finger is nearly straight and I'm steadily gaining strength and flexibility. The splints she's made for me fit perfectly (unlike the initial PT/OT's splints which caused small blisters and ulcers to form on my finger). I'm able to do my exercises at home. And while my finger may never look 100% like it did before my fall, the slight lag is barely noticeable and, more importantly, I have nearly full function of the finger. I give this crew --and Pepie-- my highest recommendation. read more

Look no further if you need OT/PT for your Carpel Tunnel syndrome or Tennis elbow. I feel so fortunate to have found Hamlet at Hands up Occupational Therapy . I have had pain and numbness in both hands at night for a month. After one session of hands on work and Hamlet showing me exercises, I was dramatically improved by the next am. He is super caring and focused and knowledgeable. I went back today for another session and he addressed several different trouble spots additionally and I feel a million times better. I usually feel PT /OT specialists are very rote and spend a half hr with the patient. Most of the time leaving you while you do reps and so forth. Hamlet was entirely focused and attentive every minute. He is as nice as he is professional. read more

I can't say enough about my Hands Up OT therapist, Pepie. It's hard to put into words how important she was to my recovery. 5 years ago a traumatic accident left me with a broken elbow. After emergency surgery and a 5 day hospital stay, I was sent to occupational therapy. The other therapist could see that I was a piece of work, in more ways than one. Pepie swooped in (literally) and took me over. She stuck with me and my elbow's recovery from that moment, until today. She worked on my recovery for 6 months, sometimes 3 times a week. About halfway through my elbow decided it was done making progress, but Pepie decided it wasn't. Ultimately, she was able to bring my elbow back to just about pre-surgery functioning and movement. Pepie's commitment to her patients is unlike anything I've ever seen. She's smart, compassionate, and fun conversation during even the toughest therapy moments. Today I'm an avid yogi, practicing 4 times a week. People always remark how great of shape my elbow is in when I tell them about the trauma. I don't take the credit, because it's all thanks to Pepie. Take my advice... don't even think about going anywhere else. Pepie and her team at Hands Up OT are the best. I promise, your injury (and future healthy self) will thank you. read more

Great experience. Recovery from a broken hand was fast and successful. Hamlet was very knowledgeable and shared insights and facts to help me better understand the healing process and how to protect my progress. read more

I'm writing this as I sit in day 20 of quarantine in New York City in the days of the COVID-19 outbreak. Before the outbreak, I tore a ligament in my thumb skiing in early Feb- a.k.a. "Skier's Thumb". My Ortho, while still assessing if I needed surgery or not, originally had me in a large bulky splint that covered my wrist and most of my hand 24 hours a day for six weeks - allowing little to no mobility of my thumb or wrist, etc. He was still on the fence about surgery at week six but determined I had progressed enough to start PT in mid March. Thanks to my Ortho - I found Pepie Lapsatis at Hands Up. We met right before the lockdown in NYC. After an initial virtual consult, she was concerned about my limited mobility at this point of recovery & determined a new (less limiting) splint could help. I went to Pepe's office the next day and in 15 minutes she made a lightweight splint molded to my hand. It's like it isn't even there - while making sure my thumb heals - and can move a bit. It's been 10 days in quarantine with my new splint and despite all of the use of my hand while indoors cooking, cleaning, etc - my thumb/hand feel INFINITELY better than it did when I met her 10 days ago. I now have hope of avoiding surgery and that I will be able to do the things I love again. Thank you Pepie! Looking forward to continuing PT and praying we all get back outside to do the things we love. read more

Hands Up Occupational Therapy - Occupational Therapy Near Me - New York, New York

Pepie and the crew at Hands Up have changed my life and helped me make a complete 180 on what i was starting to feel like was a hopeless injury. i can't thank them enough for what they've done for me!!! i'm a professional guitarist who suffered some nerve damage due to poor posture, and i had an Ulnar nerve transposition surgery which my very irresponsible surgeon told me i wouldn't need any kind of OT for. after over a year it was getting worse and i was dealing with chronic nerve pain that was absolutely crippling and i feared for my career. Pepie is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the inner workings of the arm, she's an amazing listener and went out of her way to listen and explain every single detail about how everything in my arm is connected and why i may have the pain i was experiencing in my arm. she essentially troubleshooted the issues with me week after week experimenting with new exercises to see how my arm would react and she would adjust her exercises accordingly. she explained and helped me thoroughly understand what's going on every step of the way and thats a HUGE deal to me. knowing whats going on eased my nerves (no pun intended) and my feeling of helplessness and brought power and confidence back into my life. she's also just a joy to talk to and hang out with and i consider her and the rest of the crew to be friends, they're all just so nice. my arm is a working progress but the sharp nerve pain i was experiencing is GONE and i can't express how thankful i am for that. every week my arm gets stronger and i'm back to full practice days and can play a 4 hour gig again with little to no pain. my 2 fingers will always feel weird, the surgery was simply too late to protect the outer nerve, but Pepie's knowledge and communication has helped me accept this fact and given me the courage to live my life anyways read more

It doesn't matter which PT specialist you're assigned to, they're all terrific! I've had the good fortune to work with all three, each has a distinct style, and each are warm and friendly. They work in collaboration with Dr. Gupta, conveniently located just a few blocks away. He performed a successful hand surgery on me, and I'm gratefully back to full use of my hand. My praises could not possibly be high enough. read more

Pepe and the team are great therapists. Professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. My hand issues have greatly improved.

Pepie is a knowledgeable, personable, and simply awesome hand therapist. I recently had wrist surgery and, after every session with Pepie, I feel so much better. Unlike some of the more commercial therapy places where having one on one sessions is either discouraged or rare, Pepie provides one on one personal care to her clients. Additionally, she is very hands on and will manipulate, glide, and massage the joints in the area. This manual work is actually essential because exercises and stretches can only take you so far. She is very easy to get a hold of and is just a wonderful person! read more

If you're like me & are searching for a reliable occupational therapist that is NOT some old sketchy therapist, Hands Up is your answer! Pepie & Hamlet are a legendary duo that healed me significantly faster than my surgeon anticipated. They have fast modern communication, clean facilities, convenient location, and are actually super enjoyable to hangout with while doing your therapy. Thanks to them my once destroyed wrist is now 100% back in record timing. Couldn't be more appreciative & impressed, honestly am going to miss this being part of my routine! read more

Ms. Lapsatis did such an amazing job fixing my hand. She was truly professional and highly skilled. The atmosphere was very clean and intimate. If I could give Hands Up 10 stars, I would. This was the best hand therapy treatment I've ever received. read more

I started working with Pepie to rehab a fractured ring finger. I have had previous experiences with other OTs but found Pepie to be far superior. I felt as though it was a boutique occupational therapy experience. Everything felt personalized and tailored to me. I noticed improvements almost immediately. In addition to being extremely professional, I fond Pepie to be very personable and engaging throughout the sessions. All in all a great experience from start to finish! read more

HANDS UP tops my list for OT. After receiving mediocre care for past injuries, I was elated to find an excellent therapist, Eleni. She was devoted to rehabilitating my broken wrist, and her care motivated me to complete months of therapy. Each session was customized with various modalities to suit my needs, ultimately helping me reach my goals. The congenial environment at the practice and Eleni's light conversation made the session's time fly. And her powerful deep-tissue massages always left me feeling relaxed and on the mend. My sports doctor, a renowned Manhattan hand surgeon, was also impressed with her skills, rebuilding my strength, flexibility, and agility. The therapy room feels fresh and inviting; though modest in size, it is well-organized for ease and productivity. And the extended hours are very helpful with a busy schedule. I unequivocally recommend HANDS UP OT for professional top-drawer therapeutic care. read more

Pepie is absolutely amazing. I'd previously had a very poor experience with another PT who was not treating me with the correct exercises or care. I was so relieved to find Pepie, whose knowledgable and kind personality put me at ease immediately. Our sessions were challenging enough that I felt stronger each week (even if it was little by little!) without being painful, and her facility at creating splints is top-notch! My boyfriend joked that it looked like something from Lagerfeld (not that this matters in the end, but hey, every little bit helps!). Seeing my improvement week after week, and her on-going support if I had questions once we wrapped up, gives me 100% confidence in recommending her to anyone who needs help with their hands (or a helping hand? ;) read more

I had to find an OT after fracturing my wrist resulting in the need for surgery. I chose Pepie and am so happy I did. She is smart, well trained and made me feel comfortable and answered all my questions. Most importantly, my post op therapy was extremely successful and I am back nearly to normal. Comfortable and convenient office with hours that help working people get back to all their activities . I could not recommend her more highly. read more

When I first showed up to work with Pepie on my broken hand, I could barely bend my fingers to make a fist and my hand was completely useless. Over the last 5 months, she has been phenomenal helping me rehabilitate from my injury with a number of different techniques to the point where my hand is just about back to 100%. All the while she has an amazing positive attitude and is a blast to hang out with during every visit. Couldn't recommend her any more highly. read more

I've had physical and occupational therapy over the years for various issues, and always either hated it or thought it was useless. After falling on a glacier in Iceland, I needed surgery for a broken wrist and torn ligament. What an ordeal! I was told about Hands Up Occupational Therapy and thought I'd give them a chance (fully expecting to either hate it or think it useless). It turned out to be the best possible move I could make after a long series of miserable surgeries and setbacks. The surgeon did his job, didn't explain a thing, and sent me on my way. In contrast, Hands Up OT therapist Pepie Lepsatis thoroughly explained everything that went wrong in my initial fall, why my wrist injury required the surgery, what the surgery accomplished and what I might have in store down the road. Did the surgeon do any of that? He did not. I wholeheartedly believe my recovery was due in large part to Pepie's care and knowledge. For the first and only time in my life, PT/OT was a pleasure. Pepie is a serious, highly skilled professional, and also the sweetest person and so easy to talk to. After our sessions ended, I eventually came a point when I felt I needed a followup to address some additional and unexpected wrist pain. Did I return to the surgeon? I did not. I went back to Pepie and received exactly the information and therapy I needed to get back on track. If, God forbid, I ever fall on another glacier and require OT or PT, I would not hesitate to return to Hands Up read more

Been meaning to leave this review forever! I've been going to this place for about 6 months now and probably will still need treatment for a few more months or so. Hamlet and Pepie are awesome and the best! Don't hesitate at all if you are in need of hand and wrist therapy. They really know what they're doing and have been entirely more helpful than any doctors I saw. They heat up my hands, do ultrasound, massage, have you stretch it out and then ice me. I've made a lot of progress here and they're very flexible with scheduling. Thanks for everything guys! read more

Hands Up Occupational Therapy Hand and Upper Extremity Specialist Certified Hand Therapist Pepie Lapsatis, MS, OT/CHT Tel: 917-855-7085 HANDSUPOT@gmail.com I had a broken wrist and was referred to Pepie by my surgeon. Pepie is friendly, smart and has helped me tremendously. It is a one on one therapy session. You never feel rushed and she gives up her undivided attention. I recommend her highly. read more

Pepie is truly AMAZING!!!! She is SO very knowledgeable and creative in her craft! She truly enjoys (and masters) what she does and this is revealed in both her expert/top-notch care and her kind and upbeat personality! She is entirely accommodating when it comes to appointments (even going above and beyond) and she is very gentle when dealing with sensitive hand pain. I couldn't recommend her more for occupational therapy! I am really so grateful to have found her!!!!!!! read more

Pepie is amazing! I broke my arm last fall and was really worried about the recovery as it was so stiff when the cast came off. Pepie was so nice, friendly, and immensely knowledgeable. I've seen a lot of PTs in the past for sprained ankles and bad knees, but never felt as if the experience was personalized to my issues. Pepie & Hamlet both make each appointment an experience tailored specifically to my injury & recovery. Her office is super convenient right next to Union Square and her facility is always clean. By the end, going to see her became a catch-up with a friend! If you have a hand/wrist/arm issue -- Pepie is your girl! read more