Occupational Therapy Month
April is Occupational Therapy Month, and in honor of this, Fyzical Mall Drive would like to take the opportunity to educate our patients and readers on the benefits of occupational therapy methods!
Do you have an injury or medical condition that is causing you pain, limiting your daily activities, and preventing you from enjoying the things you love?
Occupational therapy is a great way to learn how to get over these hurdles, improve performance and lower your pain symptoms.
Would you like to learn more about how occupational therapy can help you eliminate your pain and improve performance? If so, Contact Fyzical Mall Drive today to request an appointment.
What is occupational therapy?
The American Occupational Therapy Association defines occupational therapy as “the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.”
One example of the ways an OT can improve a patient’s daily function is through adaptations. For instance, if a patient is having trouble feeding themselves, an occupational therapist can help them to make adjustments and adaptations to utensils to make mealtimes easier. This unique approach makes occupational therapy a vital part of health care.
Occupational therapy is also a very common form of treatment for patients recovering from surgery, healing from injuries, or living with chronic conditions that affect their quality of life.
Some conditions/situations where an OT’s guidance and care can be beneficial are as follows:
- Tendinitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Orthopedic conditions
- Recovery after burns/scar management
- Neurological conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Down’s syndrome
- Cerebral palsy
- Autism
- Asperger’s syndrome
What to expect from occupational therapy
If you’re struggling to do everyday activities such as shower, get out of bed, open doors, or get dressed, occupational therapy could be a great option for you.
Fyzical Mall Drive’s occupational therapy plans include:
- An individual assessment to determine conditions, pain points, abilities, and patient goals.
- Customized activities focused on the improvement of daily tasks and activities.
- A final evaluation to determine if goals were met and to make changes to the plan/create another treatment plan of action if necessary
Occupational therapy and physical therapy go hand in hand and can be integrated into care plans to help patients of all kinds to regain mobility, flexibility, improve range of motion, and regain a sense of independence in their daily routine.
Hand injury prevention
Now that the weather is getting warmer, many of us will find ourselves itching to get out in the backyard to begin planting and gardening.
This kind of activity is a great way to fit more exercise and movement into your routine, but it may pose a risk of injury as well, such as cuts, broken fingers, sprains, strains, swelling, and inflammation.
There are many things you can do to prevent hand injuries, including:
- Wearing protective gloves, especially when handling sharp tools or chemicals
- Grip with your whole hand to prevent wrist strains
- Avoid doing yard work when it’s dark outside
- Regularly stand up and stretch
- Use ergonomic tools that prevent stress on muscles and tendons
- Wear shoes that prevent slipping, so you don’t end up trying to break your fall with your hands
How can hand therapy help?
Hand therapy is a form of occupational therapy Fyzical Mall Drive offers that can reduce your overall risk of sustaining a hand injury, as well as help you recover if you’ve been hurt.
This form of therapy focuses on treating orthopedic upper-extremity issues to optimize the functional use of the arm and hand.
Hand therapy is used to treat several conditions surrounding the upper extremities, including but not limited to:
- Sprains/strains
- Fractures
- Amputations
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lacerations
- Lymphedema
- Contractures
- Scar management
- Arthritis
- Sensory re-education after nerve injury
A Fyzical Mall Drive hand therapist can work to help manage or alleviate acute or chronic pain you may be experiencing. They can also create customized splints for the prevention or correction of injuries.
If you’re planning on getting outside this spring to do some yard work and want to make sure your hands are up to the challenge, hand therapy at Fyzical Mall Drive is an excellent option to consider.
Take care of #1 this spring
Occupational therapy goes beyond addressing and preventing injuries. Therapeutic intervention takes into consideration all of your functional needs and implements activities to promote psychological well-being!
If you want to begin improving your quality of life and ability to do the things you love, schedule an appointment with Fyzical Mall Drive today to learn more about the benefits of occupational therapy, and how it can change your world for the better.
https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/OTMonth/what-is-OT.aspx