Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is a specialized therapy that focuses on helping you live your daily life more comfortably. Occupational therapists focus on helping you do the activities in your daily routine while you recover from surgery or live with an ongoing condition.

The type of occupational therapy you do depends on your conditions and the activities involved in your work, hobbies and other daily activities. An occupational therapist can teach you new ways to do things like:

• Get in and out of a car while recovering from hip surgery
• Use a dressing stick to pull on clothes after knee replacement
• Do household chores in ways that reduce arthritis pain

Occupational therapists can also:

• Treat your orthopedic injuries of the shoulder, arm, wrist and hand. Some occupational therapists are nationally certified in hand therapy.
• Evaluate and treat workplace injuries and facilitate returning to work.
• Treat patients who have had surgeries, illnesses, strokes or other ailments that limit function.
• Provide intensive therapy in an interdisciplinary team to individuals who need improved function before they return home after a serious illness or injury.

At Aurora Health Care, our occupational therapists offer personalized treatment that’s aligned with the other care you receive, so you can be confident you’re making progress. Working together, your doctors and therapists can help you achieve your goals and get back to the things you love.

What to expect

At your first appointment, your occupational therapist will physically examine the area that’s causing you difficulty. Then you’ll review your treatment plan and discuss your goals.

Your occupational therapy may also include:

• Stretches and exercises that you’ll be able to continue at home
• Education about ways to reduce pain and prevent injury
• Advice on how to make your home or workplace safer and more functional. This might include moving rugs to prevent slipping or installing supports to prevent falls.
• Assistive equipment – like a cane, walker, wrist brace or custom upper extremity splints – and coaching on how to use these new tools
• An on-site evaluation at your home, school or workplace

Find an occupational therapist

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