Occupational Therapy - Making Life Easier

Making Life Easier With Occupational Therapy

Daily living activities can be greatly affected by chronic arthritis. The limitations caused by the disease make performing even routine tasks more difficult.

An occupational therapist is an integral part of the team working to combat the effects of arthritis. The occupational therapist is a trained and licensed health care professional who can make a complete evaluation of the impact of the disease on the activities of the patient at home and in work situations. The therapist also considers hobbies and recreational activities when making their assessment.

Occupational Therapy Assessment

The therapist takes a history from the patient by conducting a thorough interview. Questions are asked about:

The therapist also conducts a physical examination which extensively concentrates on range-of-motion and the observation of deformities which might hinder performance. The occupational therapist assesses the need for splints or supports which might benefit the patient. The therapist can help design specific splints and assistive devices.

Overcoming Limitations

It is the job of the occupational therapist to innovate plans to overcome the imposed limitations. By teaching joint protection techniques, the therapist can help the patient:

Listen to Your Pain

Pain can interfere with daily living. Pain is the signal that you are overdoing. It is important to manage pain and minimize its negative impact. Do you take actions which control your pain or do some of your habits and routines actually increase your pain level?

Joint Protection Principles

Some principles of joint rest and protection are:

Occupational therapy has developed numerous ways to make the activities of daily living easier but the full participation of the patient is required to make it practicable.

Related Resources - Occupational Therapy

_{Source: The Duke University Medical Center Book Of Arthritis, David S. Pisetsky, M.D.}