Introducing Occupational Therapy Upper Limb Clinic

We are excited to announce that our Occupational Therapy (OT) service has expanded the upper limb (UL) clinic and we now provide crucial UL therapy from both our Frankston and Brighton clinics, as well as offering home-based UL therapy.

What is Upper Limb therapy?

Upper limb therapy focusses on the function of your arm, which could involve the shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers and/or anywhere in between.  Following assessment of strength, range of motion, sensation and coordination, the Occupational Therapist will develop a program designed to improve your upper limb function.  The focus of therapy is always around your goals and what you want to achieve.

Who do we see in the Upper limb clinic?

Limitations in a person’s function could stem from an arthritic condition or following a neurological event such as a stroke.  Other examples of diagnoses that could indicate the need for upper limb therapy include:

People with neurological conditions like:

• Stroke or ABI

• Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Motor Neuron Disease

• Cerebral Palsy

and Arthritic conditions such as:

• Osteoarthritis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Psoriatic Arthritis

Where are Active One’s Upper Limb clinics?

We provide upper limb therapy from two clinic locations:

• 25 Yuille Street, Frankston

• 1 Moffatt Street Brighton

We can also provide home-based upper limb therapy if you find it difficult getting out and about.  The OT will conduct assessments and provide interventions in the comfort of your own home.  Home-based therapy can also be combined with teletherapy, if required.

What does UL therapy look like?

Therapy can occur at your home, at one of our clinics in Frankston or Brighton or via teletherapy.

Encouraging neuroplasticity is the focus for treating neurological conditions, meaning “practice makes perfect!”.  You may be given a home exercise/stretching program to complete in between sessions to encourage the brain to re-learn.

Other forms of therapy are:

• Joint protection education for arthritis

• Mirror box therapy

• Stretching program prescription

• Task specific therapy

• Sensory re-training

• Advice on posture and ergonomics

• Upper limb positioning to prevent deformity or muscle tightness

• Trial and prescription of adaptive aids and equipment

• Constraint induced therapy