Occupational Therapy | Difficulties and Limitations

Running head: OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY 1
Occupational Therapy
Name
Institution

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY 2
Assignment 2
Identification
The interventions were successfully implemented but the patient still had some notable
difficulties and limitations. Some of this include difficulty holding items using her thumb,
difficulty in playing with her dog, difficulty massaging and washing her dog, and potential risk
of complications because the healing process is slow. It is, therefore, important to create an
environment that allows Martha to continue with her activities of daily living and occupation.
Applied Technology
Several ways can help in ensuring that Martha can continue participating in activities even with
her present limitations without the risk of aggravating her thumb. One of these ways is by
practicing finger spread. This activity helps in improving the range of motion of the thumb and
other fingers. It is a way of creating an environment that can allow Martha to adapt to her daily
progress while also letting her participate in activities of daily living. Finger press begins with
pinching the tips of the thumb and the fingers. It had been stated that Martha feels pain when she
attempts to pinch anything. Therefore, this activity is important in ensuring the problem does not
reoccur. An elastic band is then placed around the fingers and the fingers moved away from the
thumb until the band is very tight. The thumb and the fingers are moved away and close to each
other for at least 10 times (Hoggan et al., 2013). This activity helps in strengthening the thumb
joint and increasing the range of motion. The thumb and the fingers are then moved towards the
palm and the band placed in the middle. The fingers are then straightened and bent in succession
around 10 times. For best results, this activity is repeated at least 3 times every day.