By definition, Occupational Therapy (also abbreviated as OT) aims to promote health by enabling individuals to perform meaningful and purposeful activities during their lifespan.(1) Interventions are designed to meet functional outcomes that achieve the highest possible level of independence. Occupational therapists (OTs) may treat patients with physical, mental, developmental, social or psychological conditions. The roles and areas that occupational performance can encompass is so extensive that OTs can work with a wide range of clients in their limitations and the settings. In the physical rehabilitation setting, one area includes orthopedic conditions of the hand and upper extremity.

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This patient was treated at our 4S Ranch/Rancho Bernardo clinic. The poster was presented this past weekend at the California Physical Therapy Association’s Annual Conference in Santa Clara and will be presented at the Combined Physical Therapy Sections Meeting in January 2013 in San Diego.

For the past few decades, the number of females participating in sports has increased. In addition, the incidence of female athletes sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear has also considerably grown. Studies have indicated that ACL injuries are up to 2-8X more common in females than males. The aftermath of an ACL tear is significant physically, mentally, and financially. The average rehabilitation time following an ACL reconstruction is about 9 months.

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As your children prepare for returning to school, you may be trying to decide what kind of backpack to buy for your child. In this case, “one size” does NOT fit all. So how should you choose? To make an informed decision, parents need to understand how a backpack can affect a child’s posture. When carrying a heavy backpack, a child may compensate by bending forward at the hips and/or arching the back. This increases the compressive forces on the spine and may cause Continue Reading »

In the last article, we saw an example of how an outpatient orthopaedic physical therapist could utilize their skills outside of the clinical setting. I described my own experience volunteering at a local high school. However, there are numerous other ways for physical therapists to serve their communities. No matter where you live, you can be certain that there will be all types of sports or recreational activities happening close by each weekend. It could be a soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, or basketball tournament. Maybe it’s a 5K “fun run” or holiday bike ride.

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By working closely with the high school’s medical team, a physical therapist can help reduce the risk of injury, increase the safety of the athlete, and ensure the team has the greatest chance of success.

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(This is part 2. If you haven’t already, you can ready part 1.)

The two most important muscles in the human body that protect the spine are the transverse abdominis and the multifidus muscle. The multifidus is a small but powerful muscle in the back that lines the spine as it attaches to adjacent vertebrae. Its main functions are to stabilize the spinal segments while it rotates and extends the back.

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When most people think of their core muscles, they think of six-pack abs and the rectus abdominis. This muscle is the most superficial layer of the abdominals and is the least important “core” muscle other than to look strong. The two most important muscles for a strong core are

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There are a few healthcare professions that you can go to when you have back pain. A licensed physical therapist has the knowledge and training to treat the back and spine with a number of techniques including, but not limited to, manipulation and other manual therapy techniques, strengthening, and educating the patient as to what is causing their pain and what will help eliminate this pain. Studies have shown that these three treatments

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