Some conditions and injuries affect you seriously enough to limit your ability to perform essential tasks in your daily life. For example, an injury can make it difficult for you to change clothes, write with a pencil or simply go for a walk. In circumstances like these, it is vital you receive treatment from a health care professional.

Occupational therapists are health care professionals who specialize in treatments for rehabilitating your essential motor functions. The primary goal of occupational rehab is to help you recover and regain skills essential to performing your daily routine. 

After a debilitating accident or illness, being able to get back to normal can make all the difference in improving quality of life. While traditional physical therapy works to increase strength and mobility to restore peak function, this may not always be achievable. It is important to ask the right questions when determining if you can benefit from occupational rehab. 

How does physical therapy differ from occupational rehab?

Physical therapy and occupational rehab do share common elements. A physical therapist works with a patient to help improve strength and functionality in the body. The biggest difference is that while physical therapy exercises the specific joint or body part, occupational therapy practices the specific tasks necessary to perform routine daily exercises. You often begin working with a physical therapist and then transition into working with an occupational therapist.

What are the benefits of occupational rehab?

Occupational rehab offers a number of benefits, including:

• Improved ability to live independently
• Improved strength and flexibility for performing essential functions
• Increased functional cognition
• Improved sleep schedule
• Improved chances of finding meaningful employment
• Reduced chances of future hospital stays

Who can benefit from occupational rehab?

After a serious injury or condition, being able to return to your life is still an important goal. Occupational rehab is effective for people who suffer from a permanent or life-altering injury such as:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Arthritis
• Amputation
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal trauma

What tasks can occupational rehab help me with?

The goals of occupational rehabilitation are personalized to meet each patient’s specific needs. For a stroke patient, this can mean relearning how to write your name. For an amputee, this can mean using other limbs to compensate for the loss of an arm or leg to open doors, button a shirt or use a utensil. 

Visit Continuum Wellness for occupational rehab

While a traumatic injury can make it seem like life can never get back to normal, the body has a powerful ability to adapt and heal. The physical therapists of Continuum Wellness are experts in helping to restore quality of life to patients through occupational rehab. If you believe that occupational rehab may help you, contact Continuum Wellness today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.