Can You Sterilize Therapy Putty?

You probably know of someone who has had a stroke, atrial fibrillation, carpel tunnel syndrome, or writers cramps.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, atrial fibrillation occurs if rapid, disorganized electrical signals cause the heart's two upper chambers—called the atria —to fibrillate. The term "fibrillate" means to contract very fast and irregularly.

WebMD states that carpel tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on a nerve in the wrist. The symptoms include tingling, numbness, or pain of the fingers and hand.


A hand therapist may be involved for some of these procedures.  The process a hand therapist performs includes patient assessment, followed by the formulation and implementation of an individualized treatment plan, along with documenting improvements. Hand therapists employ treatment involving exercise, strengthening, and behavior management, as well as wound care, electrical therapy, and manual therapy.

For many finger and hand problems, manual therapy is designed to exercise your hand.  Therapy putty is a malleable plastic material to provide resistance in various wrist, forearm, and hand exercises.  Different consistencies of therapy putty are designed for different exercises and as the hand strengthens, they may not be needed anymore.

I put mine in the microwave for two and a half minutes to see if they could be removed of contaminants and thenbe given to someone else.  After two and a half minutes, the therapy putty bubbled like water does after in a microwave for a couple of minutes.  I am going to assume it is sterilized.  After letting it cool, I was able to scrape the putty off the dish and it was as pliable after the microwave as before the microwave.  I'm sure there is less contaminants now.

So, when a therapy putty manufacturer says that their therapy putty is guaranteed to maintain its consistency, believe it.