OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING BURNS, AMPUTATION, AND COMPLEX PHYSICAL TRAUMA

Abstract

Severe physical injury conditions like burns, amputation, or complex physical trauma can significantly influence the overall process of occupational performance because physical injury can concurrently influence physical functioning, psychological well-being, as well as participation and engagement in meaningful living roles. Such injury conditions often result in disabilities that can significantly impair physical functioning, psychological well-being, or participation in daily activities like walking, running, working, or playing. This chapter basically addresses the effect that burns injury, amputation, or physical trauma can have on the process of occupational performance, with emphasis placed on the application of the holistic process of rehabilitation, focusing on the application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Occupational therapy interventions like those that focus on the process of client re-education on the process of early mobilization, task-specific practice, adaptive practice, prosthetic practice, environmental practice, or psychosocial practice are discussed. Other outcome measures that are used to assess the process of client outcome following severe physical injury are discussed in the chapter. Overall, the interventions that the chapter highlight can significantly influence client outcome following severe physical injury because they can significantly promote client independence.