Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that involves the compression of the median nerve at the wrist. In most cases, the cause of carpal tunnel is multifactorial, so there is no single cause, but the condition has been associated with age, gender, weight, type of occupation and more (Bickel, 2010). In addition, symptoms of carpal tunnel vary, but common symptoms are numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain. Also, treatments for CTS are separated into two groups: nonsurgical and surgical. Some nonsurgical treatments include splinting, exercises, steroid injections, ultrasound, and oral steroids. While surgical treatment involves carpal tunnel release surgery, which surgically reduce pressure at the wrist, but is only recommended for severe …show more content…
Activities of daily living (ADLs) involves self-care, such as feeding, dressing, bathing, toileting, hygiene, and more (O’Brien, 2018). Many of the ADLs require fine and gross motor function of the hand, such as grasping a toothbrush or buttoning a shirt. So, carpal tunnel makes it difficult for individuals to complete ADLs as the pain and weakness compromise the motor function of the hand that is needed to perform self-care. Work refers to activities that involves employment or volunteer work (O’Brien, 2018). Many work-related activities involve repetitive movements and gripping of the hand, such as lifting or typing. So, as CTS weakens the function of the hand due to its symptoms, it makes it more difficult to perform work activities that require many hand movements. Thus, the hand is an essential structure since it is used in the areas of occupation, but carpal tunnel syndrome impacts occupational performance as it impacts the function of the …show more content…
In addition, occupational therapy focuses on various intervention approaches, especially remediation, compensation, and prevention. Occupational therapists may use strategies and techniques to remediate, in which it improves a client’s skills, abilities, and/or function in order to ensure that the client is able to perform meaningful occupations again (O’Brien, 2018). So, the goals of occupational therapy sessions that use the remediation approach may incorporate various hand exercises to improve hand strength or motor control and reduce pressure. Furthermore, occupational therapists can use the compensation approach to teach clients to modify activities in order to continue performing them despite poor skills (O’Brien, 2018). Thus, interventions aimed at compensation may use adaptive equipment or strategies, such as adjusting hand actions normally used to complete a task, to prevent aggravation and relive pressure. Also, occupational therapists using the prevention approach, focus on slowing down or preventing further deficits of CTS by educating clients (O’Brien, 2018). So, practitioners can educate clients different technique to reduce symptoms or risk of carpal tunnel and additional helpful information regarding the condition. Therefore, occupational therapists make it possible for
Skjong, C. C., Meininger, A. K., & Ho, S. S. (2012). Tendinopathy treatment: Where is the Evidence? Clinics in Sports Medicine , 31 (2), 329-350.
The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework defines an occupational profile as “the initial step in the evaluation process that provides an understanding of the client’s occupational history and experience, patterns of daily living, interests, values, and needs (2014).” During this process the client’s problems and concerns about daily occupations are identified then the client’s main concerns are determined (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). Occupational Therapists strive to be holistic and client-centered, and the occupational profile is one method to ensure treatment takes on these characteristics. During the occupational profile the clients share their priorities based on what is important to them, and the therapist
Though occupation usually refers to a job, a person’s occupation is initially determined by what their everyday life consists of. When a person becomes incapable of performing the tasks that they are expected to do in their everyday life due to developmental delays, physical injury, or psychological problems they are often referred to an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists, or OTs, usually have occupational therapy assistants, often called OTAs. The OT gives the OTA a set of objectives to help the patient achieve. Since people go through numerous occupations during the course of their lives, OT’s and OTA’s prov...
Sacket et al, cited in, Duncan, E,A,S, (2006) Foundtions for practice in Occupational Therapy, 4th edition, Elsevier Ltd.
Change is something that human have to face often, yet it is still very hard for us to adapt to it. We can, in turn, agree that change is not easy (Jacobs 2002). Occupational therapy has been thought a lot of changes which give rise to new treatment methods, new approaches and a better to communicate with the patients. Below is an analysis of the changes that have been made in the occupational therapy field and their outcomes.
Occupation is defined as “activites of everyday life, names, organized and given meaning by individuals and a culture” (Association, 2006). This article also discusses the historical aspects of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy was founded by many different professionals with different backgrounds, that came together to share the same idea about how occupational therapy should be and the importance of activites for a person. This article also talks about different types of services that occupational therapy offers. Occupational therapists and assistances can work in many different settings. With the variety of settings a therapist and assistance can work in, the services that are offered there are different. Some different services that can be offered at these settings can include community mobility skills, stress management, alternative routines and habits, and more. It is important for therapists and assistances to know what settings offer what type of services when they are referencing their client to a new setting. The last topic this article discussed
The Occupational therapy perspective has transformed historically overtime, evolving Occupation and the role it plays in people’s everyday lives. The occupational therapy profession was strongly influenced by the medical model involving close medical contributions. In the 1950’s the majority of Occupational Therapist worked for the National Health Service, working primarily in physical rehabilitation centres (Hagedorn 1995) seeing craft work as an integral part of Occupational Therapy as it was perceived as having therapeutic qualities (Hagedorn 1995). Between the 1960s -1980s craftwork was no longer valued as important and the philosophy of the occupational therapy shifted to biomechanical exercises that incorporated adapted equipment increasingly using sensory motor techniques (Hagedorn 1995) and then from the 1980’s Occupational Therapist began to focus more on the occupational needs and competencies of a person (Hagedorn 1995)....
...e-based knowledge to inform the therapy practice. It also assists with furthering the therapist’s knowledge of humans as occupational beings as well as the relationship between occupation and health.(Yexer ,1993) introduced occupational science as a fundamental science supporting occupational therapy, with an aim to refocus the provision of therapy back to occupation. Hence, occupational science provides the therapists with support, justifies the meaning and uniqueness of the profession and distinguishes occupational therapy from other professions. In addition (Wilcock, 2001), also emphasises that occupational science might be another way to avoid the possible failure of the occupational therapy as a practice. With a strong research background, occupational therapists could make a contribution to medical science, which may challenge it from a different standpoint.
Occupational therapy was based off of psychology; we evolved from treating mentally ill patients with isolation as an efficient treatment plan. We must never forget we are known to be “the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well being through engagement in valued occupations” (Crepeau, Cohn, & Schell, 2008). To other professional disciplines this article explains the difference between each of us, yet can also express our relation to one another. The basic goal of all therapeutic disciplines is to better our clients life, through physical, speech or occupational therapy. Every discipline targets different goals, may it be body mechanics, reducing a stutter or buttoning a shirt, at the end of the day our clients well being may it be through science, art or both is all that matters. To the occupational therapy field this article means progress for what we do. Reading this article today in the year 2015 did not seem like old information to me, it is still relevant, I am proud that our field is not only evolving with contemporary time but it is also maintaining its
A., de Rijk, A., Van Hoof, E., & Donceel, P. 2011). The therapist has to assess the patient to see if they have a need for splints or supports which may benefit the patient and then step in to help design the specific assistive devices needed. It is the job of the occupational therapist to come up with plans to overcome the inconvenient limitations while still helping the patient to reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching them techniques that will conserve their energy. There are a variety of different ways to make daily living much easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient's environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient's behavior is greatly affected when they are mismatched with their environment. A person's environment match is present when the person's level of competence matches the demands of the environment. Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. “The science and practice of occupational therapy are well suited to develop, refine, and test approaches to translate therapeutic gains into
People across the world participate in recovery programs every day. Dedicated people in professions, such as occupational therapy, work to help each person regain his or her ability to engage in everyday activities. One wishing to pursue a career in occupational therapy would first need to evaluate the career and the significant effects on themselves and the clients.
Cole, M. B., & Tufano, R. (2008). Applied theories in occupational therapy: A practical approach. Thorofare, New Jersey, United States of America: Slack Inc.
Throwing back a few years ago when I first decided to be an observer in a rehabilitation setting, I thought that physical therapy was nothing but magical which could change a disabled person who was unable to walk normally to a healthy walking person after a period of therapy. I used to believe that physical therapy can cure mostly all type of injuries and ailments. However, later on, I realized that it does not work that way. Remembering in a particular case, there is a patient who suffered the hemorrhagic stroke; she had to use the wheelchair all the time, her right hand is completely numb and she is not able to talk normally. After several months of arduous exercises with assisting of 2 physical therapists, she showed just a little of improvement in mobility and functioning. That patient could move in longer range compared to the first month, yet she was not able to bear weight without assistance. That case was significantly influenced my vision in this field. As a physical therapy student, the realistic expectation is critical. That student must be knowledgeable about what they can and can’t do and the limitation of this practice. Furthermore, another aspect of reality is understanding the own strength and weakness in a context of being a PT student. Being so overestimated about own abilities is a major
Physical therapy is a fun and exciting healthcare profession that helps people. It is all about helping other people who have problems with their body, muscles, joints and other parts of their body. Patients includes accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy. Physical therapy will perform an evaluation of your problem or difficulty. They evaluate your problem by performing tests and measures to assess the problem. These tests includes muscle strength, joint motion, sensory and neurological, coordination, balance, observation, palpation, flexibility, postural screening, movement analysis, and special tests are designed for a particular problem. Next, they develop a treatment plan and goals and then manage the appropriate treatment to aid in recovery of a problem or dysfunction. Physical therapists are able to treat their patients by using many different treatments depending on the type of injury. Some of the treatments are electrical stimulation, hot and cold packs, infrared and ultrasound to reduce swelling or relieve pain. These treatments are used to help decrease pain and increase movement and function. Therapeutic exercises instructions will help restore strength, movement, balance, or skill as a guide towards full functional recovery. Physical therapy provides "hands on techniques" like massage or joint mobilizations skills to restore joint motion or increase soft tissue flexibility. They will focus on basic skills such as getting out of bed, walking safely with crutches or a walker, moving specific joints and muscles of the body. Physical therapists treatment includes patient education to teach them how to deal with a current problem and how to prevent the problem in the future. Such documentation is used to track the patient's progress, and identify areas requiring more or less attention. They encourage patients to use their own muscles. Their main goal is to improve how an individual functions at work and home.
Dexterity: The ability to use your hands will allow you to perform manual therapy on your patients.