Utilizing Neuroplasticity Principles in Occupational Therapy

Making every session as effective as possible is the goal of a good therapist. It’s critical for helping patients recover function. Want to talk about the principles of neuroplasticity as they apply to occupational therapy? On today’s show we’ll discuss the first 5 principles from the Evidence-Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation (EBRSR) 2018 update and provide examples of how to apply them in OT practice. Briana Elson, MS, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS is an OT clinician and mentor at a top rehabilitation hospital with a goal of helping all OTs provide consistent high-level care no matter where they work or who they work with.

Principles discussed today:

• Use it or lose it with prism glasses

• Use it and improve it with bilateral arm training, CIMT, mirror therapy and mental practice

• Specificity with task specific training using FES, PSFS and COPM

• Repetition matters with EMG triggered NMES, amount of reps needed/time needed, and robotics

• Intensity matters with VR training, HRR (75-85%), aerobic exercise, strength training, and dual task training