Occupational therapists (OTs) help patients develop, improve, and maintain the skills needed to participate in daily living. In therapy sessions, OTs simulate everyday life activities, or occupations, so patients can work on regaining and retaining their independence.
Basic physical activities of daily living (ADLs) are eating, dressing, grooming, washing, toileting and ambulating, or moving from one position to another and walking independently. To guide their patients through these routine motions, OTs use a variety of techniques and equipment, such as gel hand balls and pegboards.
The Eggsercizer
Gel hand balls allow patients to practice a variety of squeezing techniques—and do so just about anywhere. OTs use gel hand balls to simulate pinching, gripping, holding and transferring items. A scenario that gel hand balls can help simulate, for example, is the act of carrying an object, such as keys or a remote, from one room to another.
The Eggsercizer has all the properties of a gel ball but with a more specialized shape. The egg shape is designed to fit the contours of your hand to promote recovery from injury or surgery.
Patients can use the Eggsercizer to perform various exercises to work the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms, and also as a stress reliever. Eggsercizers come in a variety of color-coded resistances to choose from, including the new peach resistance (xx-soft).
Pegboards
OTs use pegboards with their patients to encourage fine-motor skill development and visual-perceptual skills. Using pegboards, patients learn to grasp the peg and use skills to correctly place the peg in the hole.
The Baseline® 9 Hole Pegboard merges quality with precision to help patients improve their fine-motor skills. It features 14 pegs stored in two compartments, so OTs never have to worry about losing any of the pieces. Patients can use the pegs to place them carefully into the nine (9) strategically placed holes in the pegboard, allowing for instant satisfaction as the patient completes the task.
OTs help millions of patients achieve their mobility and functionality goals each year. Using different tools, OTs guide patients back to their normal standard of living—or as close to it as possible.
To check out the Eggsercizer, click here.
To check out the Baseline® Pegboard, click here.
Article written by William Graves.