PTII: Occupational Therapy

Health&Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Physical Therapy vs. Occupational Therapy: What’s the Difference?

Before you can understand why physical therapy and occupational therapy are both so important, you must first understand the differences between physical therapy and occupational therapy. Physical therapy refers to a variety of natural and conservative treatments aimed at relieving pain and promoting healing.

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CHECK OUT OUR PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT SECTION INSIDE!

Dr. Josephine Mo, MD

Al Flores, PT, CFCE Director of Rehab

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

Physical Therapy vs. Occupational Therapy: What’s the Difference?

Physical therapy treatments and occupational therapy treatments cover a wide range of conditions, and sometimes they even overlap. However, physical therapy is used to treat orthopedic, neurological, and autoimmune deficiencies, while occupational typically focuses solely around orthopedics. At Physical Therapy Institute of Illinois, some common conditions we treat with PT include: •Arthritis. •Fibromyalgia. • Injuries, sustained from sports, work, or motor vehicle accidents. •Surgical procedures (both before and after). •TMJ dysfunction. •Balance and gait disorders. •Chronic conditions and pain throughout the body. Occupational therapy tends to focus more closely on hand, elbow, and wrist pain relief. Some common conditions we treat with OT, through our specialized hand therapy services, include, but not limited to: •Carpal tunnel syndrome. •Arthritis. •Burns. •Nerve injuries. •Fractures. •Tendinitis. •Chronic conditions. •Stroke.

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Occupational therapy, while it is a similar form of conservative treatment, focuses more on rehabilitation and the “relearning” of daily activities. The purpose of occupational therapy is to make daily life easier by participating in treatments and exercises. Hand therapy is also a form of occupational therapy. While the title only specifies hands, this form of therapy focuses on the upper extremity as a whole, which also includes the wrist, forearm, elbow, arm, and shoulder. Hand therapists will treat injuries and ailments that affect the upper extremity and work toward returning the affected area to its highest level of function. At Physical Therapy Institute of Illinois, we are happy to say that we offer all three forms of therapy: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and hand therapy. To learn more about how these therapies may help you find relief, contact our office today. Conditions that PT and OT treat: Whether you’re receiving physical therapy treatments, occupational therapy treatments, or a combination of both, the natural, conservative care of a PT clinic is one of the most effective ways to treat pain and injury. In fact, according to the American Physical Therapy Association, conservative treatments have worked even better than surgical treatments for the correction of certain conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

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REHABILITATION OF THE HAND

Laying a strong groundwork through the initial evaluation focuses intervention in two ways. First, the therapist will know immediately what things the client values and enjoys, and what he or she needs to “get back to.” This groundwork enables the therapist and client to collaboratively set goals that reflect what the client needs and wants to do. Second, the client will understand that therapy is addressing his or her whole body, mind, and lifestyle—including any psychological and social issues—and not just an isolated injury. The practitioner may begin with preparatory methods (e.g., range of motion, muscle strengthening, physical agent modalities) or purposeful activities (e.g., simulated occupations, components of occupations or other meaningful activities). As the client progresses, the intervention expands to address actual performance of desired life tasks and occupations (e.g., self-care, kitchen tasks, work activities). The therapist chooses activities carefully, to be sure they relate to components or actual activities that the client will be doing during or after rehabilitation and links preparatory methods to the ultimate end goal—which is to resume active participation to the extent possible. Occupations (activities) may not be designed to assist with healing the injury itself; they may be used as a means of helping clients return to psychological and social well-being while waiting for their bodies to heal. Adaptations will be made to occupations as appropriate to allow

for immediate engagement if that is the desire of the client. For example, an occupational therapy practitioner can support a mother with a tendon repair of her dominant hand in her desire to bake a cake for her child’s birthday by showing her adaptive techniques to compensate for her limited hand mobility. These techniques might include making cupcakes, which can be much easier than baking a cake because the paper-lined tins can be filled by scooping out batter instead of pouring it from the bowl, and using canned frosting and colored sugar sprinkles to avoid the need to forcefully grip a decorating bag. When possible, occupational therapy practitioners provide orthotics and adaptive equipment that facilitate rather than inhibit early participation in daily activities such as dressing or driving. Outcomes: The ultimate goal of occupation-based hand therapy is to ensure that the rehabilitation process promotes healing while also enabling clients to perform meaningful activities both in the clinic and in their daily lives. This approach fosters positive outcomes for clients, including enhancing their satisfaction with the therapy experience and results, maintaining their ability to engage in desired roles within their family and the community, and most importantly, experiencing quality of life as they define it. Call Physical Therapy Institute of Illinois today to discuss your condition and see how we can help you regain a pain-free life. “We highly recommend PT Institute of Illinois. They were awesome at getting my daughter back to the activities she loves. The office staff is also very friendly and professional. Appointments were very easy to make and accommodating to our schedule. Thanks PTII!” - C.G. & R.G. “They were awesome at getting my daughter back to the activities she loves”

Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to PTII for a consultation today!

See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties

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FOX RIVER GROVE LOCATION: 1009 IL Route 22 Suite 1 Fox River Grove, IL 60021-1998

PARK RIDGE LOCATION: 1550 North Northwest Highway Suite 120 Park Ridge, IL 60068

T 847-462-8707 F 847-462-9208

T 847-298-3079 F 847-298-4019

EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

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Try these exercises to get you moving... WRIST FLEXION Sit or stand with good posture. Make a fist, flex your fist up. Repeat 6 times with each wrist.

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PINCH GRIP Pinch tip of finger and thumb together. Hold for 5 seconds repeat 8 times.

Strengthens Hand

Strengthens Hand

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Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT

HEALTHY RECIPE

Dr. Josephine Mo, MD graduated from both the undergraduate and medical schools of Northwestern University as a member of the 7-year Honors Program in Medical Education. She also completed her orthopaedic residency training at Northwestern University followed by a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Dr. Mo and our 2 certified hand therapists facilitate the development of an individualized treatment program tailored to each of our patient’s unique problems. COMMON CONDITIONS TREATED: • Carpal and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome • Trigger Finger and Thumb • Arthritic Conditions Affecting the Fingers, Hand and Wrist • Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow • Oupuytren’s Contractures • Fractures, Dislocations, Lacerations and Other Injuries to the Fingers, Hand and Wrist

Dr. Mo is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has also success-fully completed a Sub-specialty Certificate in Surgery of the Hand. She is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. She has been recognized by Advocate Lutheran General Hospital for her compassion and excellence in patient care. The Hand and Upper Extremity Team at OSS was formed to provide comprehensive care for our patients’ needs. We provide nonsurgical treatment options, same day custom splint formation, and postoperative rehabilitation on site. Daily team meetings between