04 Apr April is Occupational Therapy month

Occupational therapists help people of all ages who are having difficulty performing or participating in the everyday activities they need and want to do.
To bring awareness to this crucial part of the healthcare field, April has been dubbed “Occupational Therapy Month.”
Occupational therapists work with their patients to maximize functioning through the use of therapeutic methods in the performance of everyday activities (occupations). They help improve people’s fine motor skills for activities of daily living — sometimes as simple as buttoning a shirt, brushing your teeth, or fixing meals in the case of someone who’s had a stroke.
In other cases they may help a factory worker or someone who uses a computer all day at work who has a repetitive use injury — such as carpal tunnel, severe arthritis or tendonitis — decrease pain and restore optimal function.
Other examples of occupational therapy include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, or aiding youngsters to recover from injury or health issues regain skills.
Often, occupational therapists will use fitness equipment such as exercise balls, a functional trainer and vibration trainers in their treatment.
If you know someone who could benefit from working with an occupational therapist, look into scheduling an appointment right away.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com