FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES AND OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ORTHOPAEDICS AND POST SURGICAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

Orthopaedic injuries and post-surgical conditions lead to limitation in function. Beyond physical impairments, individual’s ability to engage in meaningful daily occupations frequently gets affected. Traditional rehabilitation approaches have mainly focused on impairment-level outcomes including pain reduction, range of motion, and muscle strength, often neglecting occupational performance and participation in real-life contexts. This chapter examines functional outcomes and occupational performance in orthopaedic and post-surgical conditions from an occupational therapy perspective. Drawing upon evidence and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF- 4), the chapter highlights the limitations of biomedical models and emphasizes the importance of occupation-centred, client-focused rehabilitation. Major concepts related to functional outcomes, occupational performance, assessment, and evidence-informed occupational therapy interventions are discussed. The chapter highlights the critical role of occupational therapy in facilitating holistic recovery by integrating physical, psychological, and contextual factors to optimize functional independence and participation following orthopaedic injury and surgery.