Browsing by Subject "hand therapy"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Effectiveness of Video-Based Home Exercise Programs in Hand Therapy
    (2025) Shin, Christina; Kurrus, Melinda; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Hartman, Shannon
    Traditionally, paper handouts have been the primary method for delivering home exercise programs (HEPs) in outpatient orthopedic settings. Patient adherence to HEPs is crucial for preventing hand deformities, improving hand function, and facilitating recovery. However, contextual barriers – such as language barriers, low health literacy, and psychosocial challenges – often hinder patients’ ability to understand and follow prescribed exercises, negatively impacting their functional recovery. Oftentimes, printed materials fail to recognize and address the diverse learning needs and education levels of patients, further limiting patient adherence. The goal of this capstone project was to develop video-based exercises for hand and upper extremity rehabilitation and to ensure their accessibility and sustainability within the outpatient occupational therapy team. Through improved educational resources, the capstone student and site aimed to accommodate diverse patient needs, thereby enhancing patient adherence and clinical outcomes. Following the implementation of the capstone project materials, therapists perceived the video-based exercises as an effective tool for demonstrating correct exercise execution, increasing patient confidence, supporting patient adherence, and assisting patients with language barriers. The results of this study suggested that video-based exercises can serve as a valuable and sustainable alternative to traditional paper handouts.
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    Occupation-Based Intervention Binder and Advanced Clinical Skills Within Hand Therapy: An Evidence Based Approach
    (2022-04-28) Richardson, Shelby; Albright, Megan; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Roscetti, Sally
    Hand therapy is an area of practice occupational therapists can specialize in, where patients with injuries to the hand and upper extremity are treated. This area of practice receives criticism as the typical biomechanical approach to intervention is primarily used rather than occupation based. There is growing concern OTs are losing distinct value within this area of practice as their approach does not align with foundational principles. The purpose of the capstone project is to provide quality improvement to patients through the creation and implementation of an occupation-based intervention resource binder for clinical use. Seeking to further explore the discrepancy between literature and clinical practice, research suggests that a dual focused model in practice provides best patient outcomes. Obstacles like caseload demands, post-operative protocols, storage space and prioritizing therapeutics patients can only receive in the clinic are barriers to occupation-based treatment. The capstone student utilized knowledge gained from advanced clinical skills to guide the creation of an evidence-based resource binder to assuage identified obstacles in order to advocate for the profession and improve patient outcomes.
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    Occupational Therapy's Role in Hand Therapy: Approaches and Perspectives
    (2021-04) Shelton, Hayley; Albright, Megan; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Roscetti, Sally
    Hand therapy is a practice area within occupational therapy. Occupational therapists have a unique skillset in which they are able to treat patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal injuries while realizing that each patient is an occupational being. The purpose of this capstone was to identify reasons occupational therapy practitioners lacked occupation-based interventions in treatment sessions, search the literature to find the best way to implement occupation-based interventions, and for the capstone student to utilize the findings from the research to provide the best possible patient care. Research suggests a combination of the biomechanical frame of reference and occupation focused frame of reference is the best approach to patient care in hand therapy. However, having the skillset to do that comes after months of experience. This capstone student identified the ways having a capstone in hand therapy in addition to a level II fieldwork in hand therapy advanced their skillset past that of an entry level practitioner. The capstone student implemented occupation-based interventions into treatment sessions and utilized advanced skills, such as provocative testing, to advance their skills beyond a level II fieldwork student. The student then created a table outlining the differences between a fieldwork student and a capstone student for future students and practitioners to use as a reference. Keywords: hand therapy, occupational therapy, occupation-based, capstone student, advanced clinical skill
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    Patient and Clinician Education in Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
    (2024) Sweeney, Kressa; Albright, Megan; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Higgs, Jill
    A person’s upper extremity, especially the hand, serves as the primary tool of function in daily life. Therefore, upper extremity injuries and conditions can have an extreme impact on life roles and daily tasks. Routines and practices that were once second nature become challenging, discouraging, and sometimes unattainable. Through occupational therapy, healing is facilitated, limitations are addressed, and function is restored. To achieve this outcome, however, both the patient and the therapist must have adequate knowledge and understanding of the upper extremity injury. The patient must be educated on their condition to be able to actively participate in their recovery, and the clinician must be educated on how to best treat the injury. Therefore, the aim of this doctoral capstone project is to improve both patient and clinician education within upper extremity rehabilitation. To improve patient education practices in occupational therapy, research was conducted to identify trends, gaps, and needs in upper extremity rehabilitation patient education. To improve clinician education in upper extremity rehabilitation, an orthosis guidebook was created to aid clinicians and students with selecting, fabricating, and modifying orthoses. By combining these two goals, the doctoral capstone project aimed to improve best practice and education within upper extremity rehabilitation.
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    Promoting Use of Occupation-Based Interventions in Hand Therapy
    (2025) Doss, Breanna; Albright, Megan; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Andres, Shana
    Occupational therapy has a unique scope of practice in that meaningful activities are used as interventions to increase a patient’s function and independence in their daily life. One specific setting in which occupational therapists work is the field of hand therapy. Occupational therapists (OT) who specialize in the upper extremity are Certified Hand Therapists (CHT). Within hand therapy, many interventions are biomechanical in nature meaning they are exercises focused on increasing strength or range of motion. This poses a challenge for OTs in this setting as it can be difficult to maintain the core of occupational therapy in ensuring interventions are meaningful and occupation-based. Research suggests that occupation-based interventions (OBI) for patients with upper extremity conditions results in better patient outcomes by increasing occupational performance and satisfaction while reducing psychological distress. Therefore, the purpose of this capstone project was to increase the implementation of OBI in a hand therapy setting while gaining advanced clinical skills. To increase the frequency of OBI in the hand therapy clinic, an Activity of Daily Living (ADL) board was developed as a way to eliminate existing barriers at the capstone site. To gain advanced clinical skills in hand therapy, the student spent a majority of each day working alongside a CHT to complete patient care. Overall, the ADL board positively impacted the capstone site by reducing barriers to OBI implementation through the support of a cost-effective, convenient, tangible resource.