|
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a health care service that uses activities as treatment to help people learn the skills they need to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives.
Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants are highly skilled health professionals who work closely with patients to maximize their functional independence in daily living through improving:
- Flexibility, strength, and endurance
- Use of arms and hands
- Homemaking skills
- Functional tasks
- Cognition
- Perceptual skills
- Gross and fine motor skills
Who needs occupational therapy?
The types of patients and problems who benefit from occupational therapy services include, but are not limited to:
- Elbow, wrist, and hand injuries
- Sports injuries
- Industrial accidents
- Strokes
- Head and spinal cord injuries
- Arthritic problems
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Neurological conditions
- Total shoulder, hip, and knee
- Children with disabilities
- Amputees
- Complicated pregnancies
How do I receive occupational therapy services?
Any individual with a doctor's referral* for occupational therapy can call Physical Rehabilitation Services at Memorial Hospital at (540) 666-7590 to make an appointment for an evaluation.
*Patients must be referred by a doctor of medicine (MD), or osteopathy (DO).
What will I do in occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy treatments may include, but are not limited to:
- Manual therapy
- Therapeutic exercise
- Patient education
- Home exercise program
- Joint mobilization
- Splinting
- Flexibility/tendon glides
- Paraffin
- Fluidotherapy
- Ultrasound
- Electric stimulation
- TENS
- Iontophoresis
- ADL training
- Compensatory strategies when necessary
- Energy conservation
- Joint protection
- Body mechanics
|
