Biomechanical Frame of Reference in Occupational Therapy
Christina M. Rafferty
101-392-287
Somtochukwu Okerulu
204-594-588
HCC Coleman College
Introduction/ Overview
The outcome of occupational therapy intervention is “supporting health and participation in life through engagement in occupation.’’ The types of occupational therapy interventions include occupation based intervention, purposeful activity and preparatory methods, consultation, education, and advocacy. Intervention approaches are the strategies that direct the process of intervention and these include create/promote, establish/restore, maintain, modify, and prevent disability.
The biomechanical approach is a remediation or restorative
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The biomechanical approach is a study of the relationship between musculoskeletal function and how the body is designed for and use in performance of daily occupations. The effect, purpose, and meaning of engagement in these activities influence the client’s compliance, effort, fatigue, and improvement in movement capacity.
The foundational concept of the biomechanical approach has its roots in the structural arrangement of the human body. It also places emphasis on the functional components of the body system. An occupational therapist analyzes physical demands of expected performances when analyzing activities. The practitioner matches the client’s body function and body structure to physical activity demands before proposing treatment.
Theoretical Assumptions of Biomechanical F.O.R
The biomechanical approach assumes that the client has the capacity for voluntary control of the body (muscle control) and mind (motivation). It is anatomy and physiology that determines normal function, and humans are biomechanical beings whose range of motion (ROM), strength, and endurance have physiological and kinetic potential as well as role relevant behaviors. The biomechanical frame of reference is a key reference to use in conjunction with various others in enabling OT to access and identify a client’s occupational performance within the various activities of daily living. It is important when taking a holistic approach to practice, as
The current treatment plan is guided by the Person-Environment-Occupation Model (PEOM), Rehabilitative, and Biomechanical frame of references.
The standard scope of practice of a Doctor of Physical Therapy consists of providing exercises and services that “prevent, minimize, or eliminate impairments of body functions and structures, activity limitations, and participation restrictions” as well as creating goals that will guide my patient to better mobility (The Physical Therapy, 2015). Physical therapy is a dynamic form of health care that focuses on rehabilitation, risk-prevention exercises, and performance
To be able to participate in one 's own life, to do the things we want to do, and to competently perform the activities that form part of our daily, weekly or monthly routines, is a common goal for most people. This not only includes taking part in the basic activities of self-care, such as grooming and dressing, but also extends to our work and leisure activities. It is through doing things that we learn and develop as human beings. The occupational therapy profession believes that being prevented or hindered in some way from participating in the activities that are important to us could adversely affect our health and wellbeing.
Source: Schell, B.A., Gillen G., and Scaffa M. (2014). Willard and Spackman's Occupational Therapy, 12th Edition, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Occupation based interventions benefits the clients but there are various barriers that many occupational therapists face when working in medically-oriented facilities. According to Colaianni and Provident (2010), one of the barriers of (OBI) is the dominance of the biomedical model in health care practice. The mechanistic paradigm that was derived from biomedical model has diverted the professional role of concentrating on health restoring measure to remediation of body functions and impairments. According to Gray (1998), biomedical model cure disease by eliminating symptoms, reducing impairment but occupational therapy results in impairment-based treatment where the impairment and body functions become the intervention outcome. It is difficult within the medical paradigm of care to incorporate health and wellness and to fit occupations such as cooking, playing, and other pleasurable activities, which resulted in the occupational therapist struggling with professional identity.
Occupational Therapy is a vital segment of the health care field. Individuals in this profession make a difference in the lives of others by helping their patients function effectively despite their disability, illness, or injury. They help by teaching patients many activities of daily living tasks which can include, grooming, toileting, dressing, eating, mobility, and much more! Along with the daily living tasks, Occupational Therapy helps individuals to be productive and successful in ways they want to be, like going school, taking care of others, managing their homes, preparing meals. Most importantly, they help their patients adapt to their environments and increase their independent function by helping them perform tasks with as little help from others as possible. Without Occupational Therapy, some patients with temporary disabilities could have a permanent disability. If individuals receive the Occupational treatments, they can prevent the loss of function.
Occupational therapy has been in the process of continued development since the 1900’s. With several contributors helping to build the groundwork for creating the awareness needed to bring occupational therapy into the field of health care. Continued research is contributing to the ongoing significance of how occupational therapy is a vital aspect in promoting increased independences in all aspects of healthcare. (Willard, Schell, 2014) With the incorporation of “Occupational Therapy Practice Framework Domain and Process (3rd ed.)” helps creates the foundation for occupational therapy clinicians as well as other health care providers in facilitating the core believe of occupational and the relationship of health and occupation. (AOTA 2014) Therefore, providing a uniform outline of the various aspects of each individual and how they are interconnected to create the foundation of each individual. With a greater understanding of the foundations of that induvial, the clinician can then facilitate the best therapeutic treatment plan for that individual to achieve their personal goals with unified foundations of care.
Occupational Therapy is a health, wellness, and rehabilitation profession devoted to the development of performance and function across their lifetime so that individuals can live their life to the fullest. The holistic approach taken by occupational therapy practitioners is particularly effective in the areas of wellness, health promotion, and prevention. The practice of occupational therapy can take place in health care and education settings, and in community based agencies and organizations. The timing is excellent for occupational therapy in the area of wellness and prevention. Occupational Therapy practitioners administer habilitation and rehabilitation services, which are among the fundamentals health benefits of the
In sport, an understanding of biomechanical principles allows athletes and coaches to breakdown movement and learn the correct way to execute a skill (Singh Yadav, 2016, P 669-670).
What intrigues me most in the field of Occupational Therapy is that I could make a positive impact in the lives of others. An occupational therapist can help a patient revitalize their physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities, and develop or restore its functionality through continuous practice and effort. There is nothing more fulfilling for me than to see an individual achieving the greatest possible independence. This train of thought arose when I observed an occupational therapist working with my mother to return her arm to feeling normal again after her accident.
Occupational therapists help all ages improve their daily activities. This specific therapy helps rehabilitate people who need “specialized assistance to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives due to physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems” (Ithaca College). The therapists create different exercises for each individual patient to help them develop their skills or learn how to decrease future injury.
The purpose of this chapter was to review the range of interests in the field of kinesiology, discuss the naming of the field, and to discuss whether the field is a profession or discipline. Thus, the author examined the changing of emphases and direction of the field through time.
The most impacted moment to realize the value of biomechanics study is a case of high school tennis player. He complained shoulder strain and impingement syndrome, and I helped him as a personal trainer. He did not have a major problem based on standard clinical measurements such as shoulder range of motion, flexibility of the trunk, and scapular strength. Those normal clinical evaluations did have a limitation because it focuses on the symptoms of the injury, not the cause of the injury. To find a true cause of the injury, I took a video record of his tennis serve to analyze his movement. I showed the video to the professor, Dr. Myers at Texas State University who is a tennis serve movement specialist, gave me an excellent feedback that pointed out his poor serve movements such as hypo-cocking and poor trunk rotation. These traits could not be
Correct posture is essential for correct body movement. Without correct posture, muscle imbalances and non-contact injuries may occur. One of the most used screening tests to find these imbalances within an individual is the Functional Movement System (FMS) according to McCall, Carling, Davison, Nedelec, Le Gall, Berthoin, and Dupont (2015). The Functional Movement System is designed to recognize potential weaknesses and risk of injury (Cook, 2010). Therefore, it will be vital for health professionals to use the FMS as a tool to help assess a client’s problem areas and quickly determine if it is safe to begin training. Also, it gives the trainer a place to start when designing a fitness program for their client. The purpose of this study
Occupational therapists work with clients to restore independence that has been lost or disrupted due to illness, injury, or disease. Occupational therapy practice involves assessing and determining an appropriate treatment approach based on the client’s disability and individual needs. There are various occupation-based models, each client-centered and grounded in theory, that guide the clinical treatment process. In addition, the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (3rd ed.; AOTA, 2014) denotes various frames of reference to guide therapists when choosing specific intervention strategies based on the client’s needs (Cole & Tufano, 2018). This paper focuses on the application of the Occupation Adaption model,