Therapeutic / Rehabilitation Services

The following are a few examples of conditions and injuries of the upper extremity (i.e., hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder girdle, rotator cuff, multiple joints) that are treated by occupational therapy practitioners.

• Fractures
• Amputations
• Arthritis and rheumatic diseases
• Congenital anomalies
• Crush injuries or trauma
• Cumulative trauma
• Dislocations and subluxations
• Ligament injury and instability
• Muscle strains, tears, and avulsions
• Tendon injuries and conditions (e.g., lacerations, tendonitis, ruptures)
• Nerve injuries and conditions (e.g., neuropathies, palsies, nerve repair)
• Pain (e.g., complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia)
• Replantation and revascularization
• Wounds and scars
• Thermal and electrical injuries
• Neuromuscular pathologies

Occupational therapy interventions are designed to meet individual client needs and may include the following as part of a comprehensive plan of care:

• Therapeutic activities
• Therapeutic exercise
• Orthosis design, fabrication, fitting, and training
• Joint protection and/or energy modification in home, work, school, or leisure activities
• Sensory re-education
• Mirror therapy
• Scar management
• Pain management
• Work conditioning or work hardening
• Training in activities of daily living and adaptive or assistive devices
• Education for post-surgical or post-injury safety, including sensory loss