Caitlyns cruisin' through OT school!

The hierarchy of mobility is put into place so that clients are able to regain confidence and skills in a safe and practical manner. The largest base of support and ultimately the most important mobility skill starts with bed mobility. This is placed at the beginning because it is crucial for a client to be able to functionally move around in bed and perform various positions. Once this skill is mastered transfers to mats, wheelchairs, and beds can be performed. These skills are necessary to accomplish so that the client can move up the hierarchy and begin to perform ADL’s and eventually integrate skills for community mobility. This is how I would expect the hierarchy to be set up, and it is evident that the mobility skills are arranged to build on one another. This system is very similar to what I have observed in the past working in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. The OT’s I have shadowed put an emphasis on the importance of bed mobility and stressed that preparati...

For clients who are new to a certain assistive device, it can be an overwhelming process to learn how to ambulate correctly. It is the job of the therapist to be able to fit the device properly to the patient so that ambulation isn’t any more difficult than it needs to be.Fitting the device properly will be necessary for maximal function depending on whether the client is using the device to decrease pain, increase balance, or support joint stability. If a walker, cane, or crutches is placed too low the client will experience excessive weight bearing on their upper extremities. If the opposite occurs and the device is placed too high, the client will put too much strain on the shoulder and experience discomfort. If the client must use a platform surface on a walker, they may be at risk for nerve compression near the elbow. It is important that the therapist verifies that the client positions ulna 1 to 2 inches off the platform surface. For each type of assistive device...