If you’ve suffered from a spinal cord injury, one of the things that could benefit you is called occupational therapy. Occupational therapy doesn’t aim to make you an Olympic athlete or to make you more than you were before your accident; in fact, it focuses on making sure you can safely get through your day even though you’ve suffered an injury.
On behalf of Joseph Caprara of CBLAW posted in Spinal Cord Injuries on Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
If you’ve suffered from a spinal cord injury, one of the things that could benefit you is called occupational therapy. Occupational therapy doesn’t aim to make you an Olympic athlete or to make you more than you were before your accident; in fact, it focuses on making sure you can safely get through your day even though you’ve suffered an injury.
Things like brushing your hair, cooking, playing games, doing the laundry, or other tasks are part of every day life. When you suffer an injury, your ability to complete those tasks could be hindered. If your arms are too weak, for instance, you may not be able to pick up a laundry basket. If you are paralyzed from the waist down, you may need to learn how to pull yourself up to get to the toilet.
Spinal cord injuries happen around 51 percent of the time due to trauma, according to Spinal Cord Injury Canada. With an injury, it can be difficult to move, and you may have to relearn common tasks. Occupational therapists understand this and provide you physical and psychosocial support as you adapt to your new lifestyle.
You may go to a long-term care facility, a rehabilitation center, or a hospital for occupational therapy. In some cases, the therapist may come to your home, so you can focus on learning your way around your own home. If someone else was responsible for your accident, your compensation may include an occupational therapy allowance, so you can get the right care to get your life back on track.
Source: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, “Occupational Therapy and Spinal Cord Injury,” accessed June 16, 2015