OT focuses on helping people perform the day-to-day tasks, which is called “human occupation,” that sustain them in life and enable them to work and contribute to the community. OT provides opportunities to perform activities that are important and meaningful to your life and health, including but not limited to work activities.
It assesses a person’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and other daily tasks, such as the ability to use their hands at work and play. This includes basic activities such as using a pen, utensils or tools, as well as the ability to prepare meals and perform household chores such as vacuuming, yard work, combing hair and fastening buttons.
If you have an accident, injury, disease or condition that makes it difficult for you to perform your daily activities, you need OT. For example, if you injure your wrist, getting dressed in the morning can be painful. If you have arthritis, driving a car may be difficult or impossible. OT allows you to perform the activities you want and need to do.
We assess the unique aspects of your condition or injury and develop a rehabilitation program that is individualized specifically to you. It’s the art and science of rehabilitating the entire upper extremity – shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist and hand – to restore function. We use a variety of rehab techniques and modalities, including manual therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, biofeedback, myofascial release, therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy, custom splinting and kinesiotaping. We can help patients overcome pain and lost function while reducing their risks of future injury.
Your hands are important to everything you do – work, sports, hobbies and simple activities of daily living. Whether you have a hand injury or you’re recovering from hand surgery, what you want most is successful recovery and as complete a return to function as possible. Our certified and specialized hand therapists provide advanced care designed to get you functioning again, whether you suffer from trigger finger, a crush-type injury, fracture, contracture, tendon laceration or carpal tunnel syndrome. We will tailor a treatment program for your specific post-injury or postsurgical challenges and lifestyle needs.
We treat many conditions, including arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, hand and wrist injuries, shoulder and elbow injuries and sports injuries. We also treat postoperative conditions of the hand and upper extremity as well as anything that prevents you from performing your daily activities, sports or work.
Occupational therapy sessions are typically 30 to 60 minutes or longer depending on the individual, the condition and the treatments being performed.
The best brace is one that comfortably supports and positions your wrist to prevent compression against the nerve in the wrist area. Wrist braces come in a wide variety of styles and price points, from $15 up to nearly $300 each. The Wellgate PerfectFit Wrist Support is one example of a very highly rated product and only costs $15 at Walmart. Your occupational therapist can advise you about other options. The best splints are the ones that are custom-made by an OT, specifically for you.
