People with RA may suffer significant physical, personal, familial, social, and vocational consequences from this disease. The limitations caused by RA, for example, may make performing even routine tasks more difficult. The occupational therapist's goal is to help you maintain your independence and overcome any limitations that RA has imposed on you by facilitating task performance and decreasing the consequences of RA in terms of your daily life activities. Occupational therapy is an important part of arthritis treatment plans, and the occupational therapist is an integral member of the team working to combat the effects of arthritis.
The occupational therapist's goal is to help you maintain your independence and overcome any limitations that RA has imposed on you by facilitating task performance and decreasing the consequences of RA in terms of your daily life activities.
An occupational therapist is a trained and licensed healthcare professional. To become an occupational therapist, an individual must have a college degree as well as specialized training in the form of a master's-level course in occupational therapy. Occupational therapists must pass a national examination in occupational therapy to become licensed.
Occupational therapists are usually based in hospitals or rehabilitation centers, though some make home visits. You may be evaluated by an occupational therapist after you have been given a referral from your rheumatologist.
The occupational therapist begins by taking a thorough medical and functional history. This evaluation concentrates on your ability to perform everyday life activities such as self-care, work, and leisure activities. The occupational therapist will ask specific questions about your ability to bathe, get dressed, prepare and eat meals, perform your job, play sports, or enjoy hobbies. To gain insight into your needs, he or she may also carry out a comprehensive home and job site evaluation, looking for physical challenges that those environments may pose. In addition, the therapist will conduct an extensive physical examination that concentrates on your range of motion and the observation of deformities that might hinder your performance of everyday activities.
Once the occupational therapist has assessed any limitations caused by arthritis, he or she can suggest adaptations that might make your life easier. Adaptations that the occupational therapist might suggest include the following:
- Education and training. You may be trained to move or do your daily chores in a way that limits joint stress and maximizes mechanical advantage. Emphasis is placed on conserving energy by balancing work and rest periods so as to optimize your efforts.
- Splints. The occupational therapist identifies joints that would benefit from splinting. Medical studies have shown that people who wear splints have less pain than people who do not wear splints. Splints are also useful for preventing or correcting joint deformities in the fingers or other joints. The therapist can help design specific splints to help you.
- Assistive devices. Devices such as zipper extensions, built-up handles on tools and utensils, and raised toilet seats can make life easier for people with RA-related limitations. Your occupational therapist may be able to help you create assistive devices for your unique needs.
An occupational therapist may be instrumental in helping someone with RA maintain his or her ability to live and work independently. Discuss your need for occupational therapy with your doctor.