Occupational Therapy Can Speed Recovery of Severely Injured Workers
Occupational therapy can speed recovery for injured workers. Occupational therapy is a medical practice that promotes the health of a person to recover from an injury in a way that will allow them to return to work. Occupational therapy can assist a severely injured worker to rehabilitate from a disabling injury physically, mentally, and emotionally as they adjust to the permanent loss of function.
When a worker incurs a life-altering injury like a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, limb amputation, loss of use of a limb or hand, or any injury that prevents the employee from returning to the prior level of employment, occupational therapy is designed to assist the employee to adapt to the permanent loss of function. Occupational therapy is more than just medical recovery and helps clients with psychology, sociology, and other aspects of daily living. Occupational therapy can speed recovery by:
- Stabilizing the employee’s medical condition so the medical condition does not continue to deteriorate
- Facilitating mobilization
- Restoring function (can include physical therapy)
- Compensating for mobility impairment
- Learning/relearning sensory processes
- Learning skills to adapt to the loss of function
- Coordinating care from medical providers of various disciplines
- Returning the injured employee to a meaningful life
- Teaching adaptive skills for eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, etc.
- Teaching the use of adaptive equipment – wheelchairs, artificial limbs, shower benches, etc.
- Regaining the ability to live independently
Occupational therapy can also be utilized when the employee’s injury is severe, but not life-altering, and is often used in conjunction with physical therapy to optimize the use of an injured limb. The occupational therapist will work with the injured worker, helping compensate or adjust to biomechanical issues, and tailoring a treatment plan to their specific needs.
When a worker has the ability to regain enough physical capacity to return to their former job or other employment, occupational therapists will provide a work hardening, customized approach to recondition their cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and biomechanical systems. Work hardening utilizes either real or simulated work activities along with exercises, assisting them to transition from non-working to working. Learn more about work hardening.
Occupational therapy is a very important part of the injured worker’s journey back to work, and a key component at NWRTW.
Click to learn more about Occupational Therapy and Occupational Medicine at NWRTW.