What is the purpose of Occupational Therapy?

The purpose of Occupational Therapy is to help people increase their functional independence in daily life while preventing or minimizing disability. Often Occupational Therapy is combined with other treatments including Physical Therapy.

These programs are very structured, goal-oriented, and customized to meet the patient’s needs. Occupational Therapy strives to promote emotional well-being, independence, and an enhanced quality of life. It could be said Occupational Therapy teaches life skills.

Occupational Therapy can help a person with activities of daily living (ADLs), which include dressing, bathing, food preparation, and return to work or school following injury or illness.

What is an Occupational Therapist?

Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, students must obtain a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy and pass a national licensing examination.

Their education includes (but is not limited to) anatomy, human growth and development, the physiological and emotional effects of illness or injury, and supervised clinical internships in different health care settings (e.g. hospital, rehab center).

Occupational Therapy Assistants are required to complete a two-year Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy. Both Occupational Therapists and PTAs work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies (homebound patients), and private practice.

What does an Occupational Therapist do?

Usually the attending physician prescribes a course of Occupational Therapy. The occupational therapist assesses the patient’s general health, past medical history, and functional abilities to determine areas of weakness or lost function. The therapist may visit the patient’s home or place of work to evaluate the environment.

The therapist can then address those weaknesses to help the patient be more productive in all areas of their life. Occupational Therapy may include therapeutic activities, exercise, simulated work tasks, and special devices designed to help the patient such as a walking aid (e.g. walker, cane).

Adaptations to the home or work environment may include handrails, ergonomically designed furniture, foot rest, stairlift, or items that make opening jars easier. The list of creative solutions is practically endless!

Who benefits from Occupational Therapy?

Patients of any age with low back problems, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injury, fractures, learning difficulties, stroke, an injury sustained during a fall, and many other problems.

Winston Salem Health Occupational Therapy Information Source: Dana L. Davis, MPT and Spine Universe

Winston Salem Health - Physical Therapy, also known as physiotherapy, was introduced to the United States following WWI (1914) to rehabilitate soldiers returning from the war. The profession has grown to include many subspecialties such as orthopaedic, sports, chronic pain syndrome, ergonomic modification, and industrial rehabilitation for injured workers.

What is physical therapy?

Physical Therapy combines passive modalities with therapeutic exercise to rehabilitate the spine and other parts of the body. Passive modalities include heat/cold therapy, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, massage, and joint mobilization. These modalities are not the sole treatment, but supplement therapeutic exercise. Active therapy, or therapeutic exercise includes stretching, strengthening, and postural modification to rehabilitate the spine and prevent re-injury.

What is the purpose of Physical Therapy?

The purpose of physical therapy is to help the patient return to active life as quickly as possible. Therapy strives to reduce pain, increase flexibility, range of motion, and function, build strength, and correct posture.

Physical therapy is often prescribed for patients following spine surgery, to treat soft tissue trauma, nerve inflammation/injury, muscle spasms, fractures, arthritis, and many other problems.

Patient education is an important component in physical therapy. Patients learn how their spine works, proper body mechanics, common disorders and their causes, benefits of good posture, importance of physical fitness and its relationship to injury and disease prevention.

Who are Physical Therapists?

Physical Therapists are licensed health care professionals. Prior to practicing they must obtain either a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy and pass an examination to be licensed. Their didactic and clinical training includes (but is not limited to) anatomy, Kinesiology (study of movement), study of disease and injury, healing and recovery, and a myriad of therapeutic treatment techniques. Therapists practice in hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehab centers, home healthcare agencies (serving homebound patients), and private practice.

What does the Physical Therapist do?

The physical therapist talks to the patient and evaluates their condition by testing joint motion, muscle strength, cardiovascular function, reflexes, and functional skills. If a physician referred the patient, the therapist will review the prescription along with the patient’s records. After necessary information has been gathered, the physical therapist designs a treatment plan to fit the patient’s needs and goals. The therapist and patient will work together as a team toward wellness.

Is physical therapy painful?

Sometimes Physical Therapy is uncomfortable or painful. However, the therapist has treatments available that can help minimize pain. As muscles are stretched and exercised, it is only natural to experience some soreness. As therapy progresses, range of motion increases as does strength and soreness diminishes. In general, patients feel better following therapy and look forward to the next session.

How long does a therapy session last?

The amount of time needed depends on the type of therapy involved. For example, it may take one patient longer to complete their therapeutic exercises than another. Also, as a patient makes progress, their treatment plan is adjusted.

Winston Salem Health Physical Therapy Information Source: Dana L. Davis, MPT and Spine Universe

Winston Salem Health: The Physical Therapy Initial Evaluation

When you go for an initial evaluation with a physical therapist, you can expect the physical therapist to ask a number of questions during the interview component of your evaluation. Most likely, he or she will ask questions about:

* how your back pain developed,
* how long you’ve had it and if you have had episodes in the past,
* what activities aggravate it or make the pain better, and
* any medical history that may impact your treatment.

Then, the therapist will conduct a musculoskeletal exam that may include an assessment of your:

* lumbar spine movements and muscular flexibility,
* sitting and standing posture, and
* strength testing of your legs and trunk muscles.

The therapist may examine “repeated movements” and the response of your back pain to several repetitions of a particular movement in a variety of directions. Additionally, the physical therapist may test your reflexes or sensation if indicated. A “plan of care” will then be established by your physical therapist, which may incorporate some of the treatments described in the next section, as indicated by your symptoms and your goals.

Use of Movements, Postures, and Positions to Reduce and Stabilize Pain

In the physical therapy examination of low back pain, the physical therapist can often identify particular movements and positions that actually lessen or control the pain. Once identified, the physical therapist may instruct you in those postures and movements that help to alleviate the pain. These can then be applied to the activities in which you are involved on a daily basis.

A physical therapy treatment program that is active in nature and geared toward instructing the patient in self care techniques and back injury prevention are key ingredients in returning a person to a pain-free, active and healthy lifestyle.

Winston Salem Health Physical Therapy Information Source: Kimberly Wallace, MS, PT, Cert. MDT and Spine Universe

Winston Salem Health: Physical Therapists focus on the musculoskeletal needs of their patients. As team players, the spine specialist, physical therapist, and occupational therapist all work together with the patient and family members to aid in the patient’s recovery process. The spine specialist determines the patient’s injury and type of surgery needed when necessary.

Based on the medical evaluation, the spine specialist recommends physical therapy and occupational therapy when indicated. The physician provides the therapist with a prescription including a diagnosis and recommendation of duration, frequency, and treatment. A rehabilitation program is devised based upon the therapist’s initial evaluation. A treatment plan is then designed to meet the patient’s specific goals and the patient is progressed per their treatment protocols.

The physical therapist designs a personalized exercise program to treat the patient’s injury or surgical procedure. The role of the therapist is to evaluate and manage a program, which is designed to accomplish the goals set by both the patient and their therapist. Based on the patient’s evaluation and objective measurement, the type of treatment may include a muscle strengthening program, a flexibility and general conditioning program, and pain management program.

Treatment may include a specific exercise or rehabilitation program and modalities such as moist heat, paraffin, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, iontophoresis, ice, a home exercise program, and “hands on” consisting of myofascial release, soft tissue massage, passive range of motion, and joint mobilization, as needed.

The goals of physical therapy depend on the patient’s type and level of activity to which the patient would like to return regarding their particular activities such as golf and tennis. The goals of a patient’s treatment plan is to restore joint function and joint mobility, increase muscle strength, decrease pain and inflammation, improve flexibility, resume normal activities, and return to sports as tolerated.

All of these goals can be achieved by working together as a team to help the patient recover from an injury or surgical procedure, helping to pave their road to recovery.

Winston Salem Health Physical Therapy Information Source: Shari Herschenhorn, RPT, CPT and Spine Universe

Winston Salem Health: Who are Physical Therapists and What Do They Do?

Physical Therapists are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and oversee the management of patients in order to improve the physical and functional abilities of people of all ages. Physical Therapists also play a role in helping individuals maintain optimal health and fitness, and prevent the onset or progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to disease, disorders, and other conditions.

Where Do Practice Physical Therapists Practice?

Physical therapists practice in a wide variety of settings, including private practices, emergency rooms, hospital inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, sub-acute facilities, patients’ homes, higher educational settings, research settings, schools, fitness centers, office and industrial workplaces, and sports training centers.

Physical Therapist Education and Licensure

In order to practice as a “Physical Therapist,” one must have graduated from an accredited physical therapy program, pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), and be licensed in his/her given state(s). Physical therapists often pursue professional development opportunities, including post-professional degrees such as

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD),
• Doctor of Science (DSc),
• Master of Science (MS),
• Master of Arts (MA),
• Master of Business Administration (MBA), or
• Master of Public Health (MPH).

Clinical specialization opportunities, such as clinical residencies, are also available to Physical Therapists. Examples include:

• Orthopedic (OCS),
• Neurologic (NCS),
• Pediatric (PCS),
• Sports (SCS),
• Geriatric (GCS),
• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary (CCS), and
• Clinical Electrophysiologic (ECS) clinical specialties.