When should you see an Occupational Therapist for an orthopedic injury? It’s Occupational Therapy Month and Freedom thinks you should know when seeing an occupational therapist can benefit you! You should see an occupational therapist if any of these apply to you:
Shoulder
If you have:
- night pain especially sleeping on injured side
- catch/click/pop or painful during reaching activities
- pain in one area of your shoulder from a fall
- new bruising in the shoulder area or around the joint
- discomfort reaching behind body
Elbow
If you have:
- pain in the lateral elbow (outer part) especially in first two weeks of pain
- weakness with gripping
- numbness/tingling in hand/elbow
- stiffness in the morning
Wrist
If you have:
- painful snap/pop/click
- direct pain at base of thumb
- swelling changes during the day
- numbness and/or tingling in the hand
- pain when weight-bearing through the wrist
Hand
If you have:
- snapping or pain in the thumb joint
- notable arthritis/swelling in joints
- numbness/tingling in hand
- pain with weight-bearing (press up from seated position)
- finger locking while gripping or straightening fingers
- tightness in hand while trying to make a fist