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Physical Therapy Central in Prevention Magazine Discussing Spasticity

These 7 Assistive Devices Make Living With Spasticity a Bit Easier

Occupational therapists share the game-changing (and affordable!) tools that help their patients struggle less.

When you’re dealing with the kind of pain that comes with spasticity—a condition that produces abnormal muscle tightness and affects more than 12 million people worldwide—it can be tempting to stay in bed until the discomfort subsides. After all, even doing simple things like prepping lunch, driving to the store, or taking a shower can feel downright impossible due to stiffness and joint pain.

Yet it’s so important to fight that urge to stay sedentary, says Katie Tuohy, O.T., an occupational therapist in New Jersey. “I often tell my patients with spasticity to remember the phrase ‘use it or lose it,’” she says. “The more you participate in functional, day-to-day tasks the more likely it is that you’ll maintain strength and be able to continue doing those things.”

Thankfully, there are a number of assistive devices that can make everyday activities more doable (and less painful) for those struggling with spasticity. Here, Tuohy, Jennifer Ruse, O.T., C.L.T., an occupational therapist at Physical Therapy Central in Oklahoma City, and Karena Wu, D.P.T., a physical therapist in New York City and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy share the products that help patients with spasticity the most.

Continue reading Meghan Rabbitt’s article for Jennifer’s recommendations on assistive devices that make living with spasticity a bit easier.

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