Occupational Therapy at the Main Street location focuses on encouraging and assisting each patient and their caregivers through their disability, illness, or injury to regain essential life skills and decrease the burden of care. The patient population at this location typically ranges from young adult to older adult. Areas of focus at this location include: Neurological recovery, Upper Extremity impairments/injuries, and Older Driver Evaluations. Neurological recovery(including Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries, etc.) at this location includes, but is not limited to, education/regaining of activities of daily living such as dressing skills, grooming skills etc., Neuromuscular Re-education through weightbearing and PNF patterns(Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Patterns), decreasing fall risks through safe functional training and dynamic sitting/standing techniques , issuing/recommending braces/splints as needed, performing range of motion techniques, decreasing tone tightness if present through compensatory strategies, Sensory Re-education as needed, use of Modalities as needed, regaining gross and fine motor coordination, caregiver education, and addressing safety concerns.
Upper Extremity impairments and injuries addressed at this clinic include but are not limited to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Release, Medial Epicondylitis, Lateral Epicondylitis, De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, Trigger Finger, Nerve Entrapments, Ulnar Nerve Release, and Spondylolisthesis upper extremity symptoms. Workplace setup/ task analyses are also discussed and suggestions are issued by OT when patient presents to the clinic with a repetitive injury and/or and injury caused by poor mechanics. Strengthening and coordination of the large and small muscles of the upper extremity at the Main Street Clinic includes, but is not limited in, the use of weighted therapy balls, theraplast, dumbbells, theraband, and various other methods. Modalities and sensory re-education are also used for Upper Extremity impairments and injuries as needed. Manual Therapy is also performed at this location to address soft tissue adhesions which are limiting patients to include Astym(Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization), soft tissue mobilization, and retrograde massage.
Older Driver In-Clinic Evaluations are performed at this location to assist patients, family members, and physicians with determining whether a patient is safe to continue driving and/or safe to return to driving following an illness/injury or an accident. If any impairments are noted during the in–clinic driver evaluation, OT will recommend further evaluation from physicians and/or adaptive equipment that would assist patient with returning to driving.
All patients at the Main Street Clinic receive individualized home exercise plans to assist them and their caregivers to reach Max I with ADLS and IADLS at home, work/school, and in the community in a timely manner. The Occupational Therapy Department at the Main Street Clinic is part of an interdisciplinary team consisting of Speech Therapy and Physical Therapy in one facility for the convenience of each patient and their family.
Call Today To Request An Appointment With A Therapist At St. Francis Rehab Main Street Village. Learn more about the Occupational Therapist behind this article, Jennifer Webster, OT.
