St. Louis, MO Occupational Therapy

St. Louis, MO Occupational Therapy. Our everyday lives require the use of an arsenal of skills ranging from physical, cognitive, and social. After being injured, becoming ill, or developing a disability, performing some of these everyday tasks can be difficult. St. Louis, MO occupational therapy, though, can enhance the abilities that allow you to return to work, perform activities of daily living, and improve your overall well-being and enjoyment of life.

Axes Physical Therapy provides occupational therapy care that is informed by scientific evidence and led by our desire to help patients like you patients of all ages and backgrounds in St. Louis, MO and throughout Greater St. Louis. We are guided in our practice by our regard for every patient who passes through our doors and each patient we see receives a uniquely tailored treatment experience. Axes’ St. Louis, MO occupational therapy program is headed by qualified occupational therapists who have extensive backgrounds in treating patients and hold advanced certifications and training in specific treatment areas. Receive world-class occupational therapy at the locally owned and operated Axes facility most convenient for you. Get one step closer to complete recovery and independence by contacting us online or finding the location closest to you.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is defined by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists as “a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and well being through occupation.” In order to promote the patient’s health and well-being, treatment may include a focus on domains such as physical, cognitive, sensory-perceptual, and psychosocial performance and abilities as they relate to your ability to engage in the daily activities you encounter. The goal of successful St. Louis, MO occupational therapy treatment is improved well-being and quality of life for the individual receiving care. Exactly what this looks like depends on the needs and goals of the individual.

Axes St. Louis, MO occupational therapists serve anyone whose ability to perform on the job or complete everyday activities has been impacted by an injury or illness. Specifically, our St. Louis, MO occupational therapy team evaluates and treats loss of ability or function of the upper extremity, elbow, forearm, and hand-related to an injury or illness. Our St. Louis, MO occupational therapy program also specializes in helping individuals return to work safely and effectively. In these situations, your occupational therapist will focus on developing skills such as material handling, lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, and any other job-specific functions.

As an occupational therapy patient in St. Louis, MO, you will work with a licensed Occupational Therapist, or OT, who will use interventions such as activity modification, education, splinting, and exercise to help you become able to perform the everyday activities, or occupations, you wish to do. As you can imagine, every St. Louis, MO occupational therapy patient has a unique lifestyle with a unique set of responsibilities and interests. Your occupational therapy expeirence will be tailored to you. St. Louis, MO occupational therapy is useful for anyone who is experiencing difficulty performing activities that that are a part of their daily life, known as an activity of daily living, or ADL. Our St. Louis, MO occupational therapy patients range from individuals with disabilities from birth, stroke victims and surgery patietns, older adults experiencing new physical and cognitive difficulties, people who are hurt on the job — virtually anyone could be an occupational therapy patient in St. Louis, MO.

Who Benefits from St. Louis, MO Occupational Therapy?

St. Louis, MO occupational therapy is a type of care that addresses a patient’s individual needs and goals in relation to their environments–such as school, work,or home–and through all realms of functioning, including physical, psychological, cognitive, and social. Virtually anyone can benefit from St. Louis, MO occupational therapy. At Axes, we see St. Louis, MO occupational therapy patients including young children to eldery adults to a typically able-bodied individual with an injury. St. Louis, MO occupational therapy is integral not only as a tool of rehabilitation for anyone with an illness, injury, impairment, or disability that affects their ability to perform daily activities but also as a way to prepare and prevent individuals from developing a future disability.

St. Louis, MO occupational therapy is helpful for addressing a variety of disabilities, injuries, and conditions, such as:

Hand, wrist, shoulder, and other upper extremity injuries
Amputations
Arthritis and other joint disorders
Burns
Cancer
Chronic pain
Fractures
Muscle weakness
Neurological disorders
Overuse injuries
Surgery
Tendon injuries
Traumatic brain injury
Visual or cognitive deficits
Work injuries

Every St. Louis, MO occupational therapy patient has different goals, challenges, and expectations. The treatment strategy depends on your needs and what activities you wish to return to. St. Louis, MO occupational therapy can be successful in addressing a wide range of tasks and goals depending on your individual needs. Some of the common uses of occupational therapy are improving:

Self care such as personal hygiene and eating
Sleep
Meal preparation
Dressing
Mobility, sitting, and standing
Joint protection
Sensation recovery
Ability to return to work, school, and other activities

What to Expect in St. Louis, MO Occupational Therapy

Each patient’s occupational therapy treatment is specific to their unique needs, daily activities, and limitations. Your Axes St. Louis, MO occupational therapist plays a critical role in your treatment. They will design a treatment program that will help you perform everyday tasks and achieve your goals, allowing you to be as independent as possible. When you seek St. Louis, MO occupational therapy, your OT will do the following:

Evaluation
The first step in your occupational therapy journey is for your OT to understand your situation, including your goals and limitations. To accomplish this, you will undergo an initial assessment by your OT, along with ongoing evaluations throughout your course of treatment. They will incorporate information regarding the activities you must perform on the job (if applicable) or at home.
Planning
Next, your occupational therapist will apply their knowledge of evidence-based occupational therapy practices and their understanding of your needs, environments, and goals to form an individualized treatment plan. Treatment will be a series of interventions aimed at the mastery of a skill, adaptation of an activity; maintenance of a declining skill; self-care and wellness practices; and injury prevention.
Intervention
With a plan in place, your occupational therapist will introduce a program that will enhance your ability to perform daily activities or work safely. These interventions are specific to your needs and your typical environments and can include:
- Exercises and activities
- Training and education
- Development of skills
- Environment modification and activity adaptation
- Assistive devices
- Cognitive, sensory, and manual therapies
Collaboration
In order to provide the level of care occupational therapy aims to achieve, it is essential that other people in your life participate in somew way. Care that is so personalized requires conhesion in terms of communication between you, your OT, family members, and other providers who are involved in your everyday life.