“The Knowledgeable Prosthetic Limb User: Treatment Techniques for Occupational Therapists.“

Abstract

The most important skill an occupational therapist can give an adult upper extremity prosthetic user is the confidence that the prosthetic limb can help them efficiently perform any task they encounter. Ultimately, the client will decide how they wish to use his or her new prosthetic limb, but for a brief time the occupational therapist plays an important role in educating and coaching the client. It is the therapist's role to expose clients to the full range of methods that they can use their new arm for functional tasks and to facilitate good problem solving skills. Having limited treatment time, it is crucial that treatment is efficient and focused on what will benefit the client most. When someone is learning a new skill, he or she tends to seek as much assistance as available and transitioning someone to independent analysis and refinement of performance is challenging. Clients who demonstrate good problem solving skills and understand task demands are more inclined to translate these clinical skills into functional tasks and fully integrate the prosthetic limb into their daily lives.