Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy at Baxter Regional Medical Center provides care to individuals who, due to physical or neurological trauma, developmental delays or degenerative changes, have lost a degree of independence in the performance of daily activities.

We assist individuals in restoring function through the treatment of impaired muscle strength, range of motion and physical endurance; visual perceptual dysfunction; cognition/problem-solving and neuromuscular dysfunction resulting in decreased sensorimotor function; and impaired fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination as a result of stroke or brain injury.

Physical rehabilitation of upper extremity dysfunction

Treatment begins with a thorough assessment of any upper extremity impairment.

Treatment may include strength and range-of-motion exercises; the use of modalities for chronic or acute pain, common with conditions such as tendonitis; scar management and complex wound care; and assessment and treatment of decreased hand function, and fine motor and coordination skills due to neurological or orthopedic injury.

Upper extremity orthotics and splinting

BRMC offers a variety of splinting materials and patterns, customized to fit the patient’s diagnosis, lifestyle and anatomy. Splints are available to treat fingers, elbows, fractures, sprains, nerve lacerations that require protective positioning for healing, nerve compression syndrome, acute trauma or chronic degenerative changes that require positional splinting, and hyper-mobility or joint contracture. Most splints can be fabricated in an hour or less, and adjustments can be made easily. Splints are usually removable to allow improved skin integrity and hygiene, decreased joint stiffness and gentle range of motion exercises, if appropriate.