Get Back to Your Normal Life with an Occupational Therapy Plan
Live Comfortably with the Help of Occupational Therapy!
Occupational therapy is a great way to learn how to perform daily tasks with ease.
Do you have an injury or medical condition that is limiting your ability to perform daily activities and preventing you from enjoying the things you love?
Are you looking for treatment for a condition that is holding you back?
Would you like to learn more about how occupational therapy can help you adapt to your physical challenges and improve your performance?
If so, occupational therapy in Frederick or Monrovia can help you reclaim your life. Contact Amber Hill Therapy Centers today to request an appointment!
and her therapy dog Bonnie! Learn More
What can occupational therapy do for me?
Occupational therapy is more than just addressing an injury.
At Amber Hill Therapy Centers, our Frederick and Monrovia occupational therapists focus on the functional needs of each patient by implementing certain exercises and activities that promote physical and psychological well-being.
Occupational therapy is a form of treatment that is deeply rooted in science and supported by numerous medical journals.
Our occupational therapists in Frederick and Monrovia work hard to help people recover from injuries and regain functional skills.
Occupational therapy can benefit people of all ages, from helping children with disabilities participate in school and social arenas to helping seniors improve their physical and cognitive health and everyone in between.
At Amber Hill Therapy Centers, our occupational therapy plans include:
- An individual evaluation to determine patient goals.
- Customized intervention activities to improve daily tasks and activities for the patient.
- An evaluation of outcomes to determine if goals were met and to make changes to the plan if needed.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), in addition to dealing with an individual’s physical well-being, Occupational Therapy practitioners address psychological, social, and environmental factors that may hinder an individual’s functioning in different ways.
For example, occupational therapy for a young patient may include using a special tool to make cupcakes at home while occupational therapy for an adult who has had a stroke may involve learning a new way to dress to overcome the weakness caused by the stroke.
If an adaptation to a utensil needs to be fashioned, an occupational therapist will do it. This unique approach makes occupational therapy a vital part of health care.
Understanding the difference between PT and OT
While occupational therapy is similar to physical therapy, there are a few distinct differences.
Physical therapy focuses on the patient’s ability to perform certain movements overall, while occupational therapy focuses on the patient’s ability to perform certain movements during daily activities.
For example, a physical therapist will work with a stroke patient to build back muscle strength, while an occupational therapist will work with a stroke patient to practice basic skills that are difficult after a stroke like eating, bathing, and dressing.
Physical therapy and occupational therapy tend to overlap, as a patient may begin treatments with a physical therapist and then move on to working with an occupational therapist once their pain is relieved and they have regained enough strength/physical function. Often after an evaluation with one of our highly trained occupational therapists, they determine that strength or mobility is contributing to the patient’s difficulty performing daily activities and they recommend the patient also see a physical therapist.
So, where does hand therapy come in?
There are different specialties to occupational therapy, and hand therapy is one of them.
Hand therapy focuses on treating orthopedic upper-extremity issues to optimize the functional use of the arm and hand. Although none of our OTs are certified hand therapists, that doesn’t mean they don’t treat dysfunction of the upper extremities, after all, we use our hands for some many daily tasks!
Hand therapy is used to treat several conditions surrounding the upper extremities in Frederick and Monrovia, including but not limited to:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lacerations
- Arthritis
- Tendonitis
- Sprains/strains
- Fractures
- Amputations
In general, hand therapy focuses on the biomechanical issues of upper-extremity conditions. It’s a patient-centered approach that addresses the needs of the patient, such as being able to lift objects, open a jar, or button a shirt.
There are several interventions that a therapist can assist with, in order to help you comfortably perform daily functions.
This may include any combination of therapeutic exercises, pain management, manual therapy, taping, ergonomics, or compression therapy.
There are several activities that a therapist may have you perform in order to strengthen your upper extremity after an injury, such as working with putty, using a gripper, or using dumbbells.
There are several benefits to hand therapy, including:
- Management of acute or chronic pain
- Design and implementation of home exercise programs to increase motion, dexterity, and/or strength
- Preventative, non-operative, or conservative treatment
- Training in the performance of daily life skills through adapted methods and equipment
- Desensitization following nerve injury or trauma
- Conditioning prior to returning to work
- Sensory re-education after nerve injury
Consult with an occupational therapist today!
Are you dealing with any of these conditions and finding it difficult to maintain a sense of independence in your everyday life? Know that you don’t have to go down this path on your own. If you’re suffering from a neurological disorder that keeps you from living the life you want to live, don’t hesitate to contact our physical and occupational therapy office today.
Our physical and occupational therapists at Amber Hill Therapy Centers will work closely with neurological specialists to provide you with the best possible care. If you make an appointment to be evaluated by one of our dedicated physical or occupational therapists, you’ll find out how we can better treat your symptoms and help you achieve your physical goals. Get started today.
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