How Occupational Therapy Can Help Resolve Your Repetitive Stress Injuries

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How Occupational Therapy Can Help Resolve Your Repetitive Stress Injuries

How Occupational Therapy Can Help Resolve Your Repetitive Stress Injuries
Jan 10, 2024
occupational therapy, Health & Wellness

Have you had pain or difficulty lifting, grasping, writing, or even moving your arm? Are you tired of turning to over-the-counter medications or seeing the doctor for prescription medications? Our Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services in California occupational therapists will identify the source of your symptoms and help you find long-lasting relief!

Trying to get your hands working in the morning or dealing with achy soreness at night make your daily life a struggle. Repetitive traumas or overuse conditions cause most elbow, wrist, or hand pain. These repetitive stresses lead to joint dysfunction or impairments in muscle function. Instead of focusing on the symptom, our therapists will treat the root cause.

We are experts at treating conditions of the upper extremities. We can guide you through the steps to alleviate your joint, muscle, or nerve pain, all while improving the health and function of your elbow, wrist, and hand and returning to the activities you enjoy.

At Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services in California, our experts will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and use a variety of treatments to help you find lasting relief. If you are looking for solutions without the harmful side effects of medication, call and request an appointment with one of our specialists today!

Getting to the root of your pain

Elbow, wrist, or hand pain can be acute or chronic. Acute refers to a sudden onset, like after a fall or other type of injury. In contrast, chronic pain lasts longer than three months and is typically related to an overuse type injury or degeneration/arthritis.

Too often, people wait for treatment and hope their aches and pain will resolve on their own. Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons for persistent pain is not fully resolving an old injury. No matter how your pain started, your body is telling you that something is wrong, and the sooner you get help, the sooner you find relief.

For example, suppose you injured your wrist and never rehabilitated it fully. The limited movement related to this injury could cause compensations at your elbow joints. This, in turn, could cause elbow pain or impairments in the function of the forearm muscles used in both your wrist and elbow.

In this example, the root cause of your pain is limited wrist motion, even though the symptoms are felt in the elbow. Fortunately, our Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services in California occupational therapists can help you identify the source of your condition and, more importantly, give you the tools to resolve it once and for all!

How can repetitive tasks cause pain?

Many painful conditions, such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel, and arthritis, result from repetitive daily tasks that cause too much wear and tear on your body. Think how often your finger, wrist, and elbow joints move daily. Imagine the typing, taping, gripping, lifting, and twisting actions all these joints undertake.

Repetitive stress injuries in the upper body affect the muscles, tendons, nerves, and ligaments. Symptoms are usually described as tenderness, stiffness, or even tingling in the affected area. No matter the quality of the symptoms, your body is telling you that something is wrong, and the sooner you get help, the sooner you get relief.

The most causes of overuse-type injuries include the following:

  • Incomplete rehabilitation of an old injury
  • Improper technique and/or improper equipment usage
  • Poor postural habits
  • Prolonged and repetitive movements and positions
  • Improper workstation setup

We all have work and daily activities to accomplish, but knowing how to modify them to reduce the strain on your joints, is what our therapists can teach you.

  • When standing or sitting, try to maintain a tall posture. Imagine a string gently pulling you upwards through the top of your head. This brings your spine and center of gravity into a natural position that allows your shoulders and arms to move more freely.
  • Avoid sitting for long periods. Get up and move around during the day at work or home. Try to move out of a seated position at least every 30 minutes and stretch your hands.
  • Be aware of the position of your elbows when you are at a computer or using a device. Ideally, it would help if you had a 90-degree angle or less in your elbow bend.

The first step to finding relief is to start with an occupational therapy assessment at Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services in California. Our team will help you find relief and restore your functional ability so you can resume the activities you’ve been unable to perform due to pain.

What to expect at your Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services sessions

Our occupational therapists have completed extensive training and routinely help people dealing with repetitive stress-type injuries. We will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and physical examination. This allows us to pinpoint the exact source of your elbow, wrist, or hand problems.

Our therapists are experts in manual therapy techniques, specific exercises, modalities, bracing, and taping techniques that target affected areas, restore mobility and strength, and restore function.

Request an appointment today!

At Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services, our occupational therapists are experts at treating overuse-type injuries and preventing future problems from reoccurring.

Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, and let us help you find the relief you’ve been looking for!

Sources:
occupational therapy, Health & Wellness
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