Hands In Motion

Welcome back to another episode of Hands in Motion. On this episode, we are joined by Kim Pace, an occupational therapist who specializes in industrial rehabilitation. Kim shares with us what her role is in returning clients back to their jobs after injury. We discuss how she evaluates clients and ensures that they are ready to return to their job, if modifications are necessary, or if another job might be more suitable based on their functional abilities. Welcome to Hands in Motion, Kim. Guest bio: Kimberly graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1982. She spent eight years practicing in psychiatric occupational therapy and then for the last 34 years she has been involved in a variety of aspects of industrial rehabilitation. Kim performs Functional Capacity Evaluations, work evaluations, job site visits, job site videos, job coaching, and pre-employment testing. Kim has been at her current job for 22 years and has the privilege of working with 15 hand and orthopedic specialists which are on-site at all clinics where therapy is provided. Kim is very involved with the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association and was appointed by the governor to serve on the State of Michigan Occupational Therapy Board for six years. Kim's passion is to make sure clients receive therapy that will help them achieve their goals so they can resume their previous level of activity.

On this episode, we are joined by Dr. Bryan Loeffler, an orthopedic surgeon who devotes a significant amount of his practice to treating patients who have experienced limb loss. He discusses with us the use of targeted muscle reinnervation, its indications, and how it has transformed care for patients to prevent pain and improve function. Guest bio: Dr. Loeffler specializes in the entire spectrum of hand and upper extremity disorders from the fingertips to the shoulder. He has a special interest in complex elbow conditions and peripheral nerve injuries. Dr. Loeffler has been awarded multiple research grants to fund various clinical studies as well as a basic science study on biologic solutions to improve rotator cuff healing. He has authored numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from forearm injuries to shoulder and elbow replacement. Academic honors and achievements range from excellence in surgery to resident teaching award. He has also participated in two international medical missions, providing orthopaedic surgical care in underserved areas. Dr. Loeffler is a former NCAA Division I wrestler at the University of Maryland, and he remains active by running and spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children.

On this episode, we are joined by Emily Hartnett, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist who has turned her hobby of rock climbing into a specialty area of practice. She shares with us common injuries sustained by rock climbers and unique aspects of caring for this patient population. Guest bio: Emily Hartnett, OTD, MOTR/L, CHT graduated with her Bachelors of Health Science in 2017, her Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2019, and her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy with a focus on rock-climbers' injuries in 2022 from Quinnipiac University. Emily is an avid rock climber herself and has been specializing in treatment of the upper extremity since she received her OT license in February of 2019. Emily has combined her hobby and career to treat rock climbers; she has developed effective return to climb protocols and effective strategies, such as PRO (Pulley Ring Orthotic, patent pending) fabrication and application, to allow climbers to continue to climb while rehabilitating from injury.

On this episode, we are joined by Rob McClellan, our current ASHT Board Member at Large. Rob shares with us all of the benefits of being an ASHT member and a variety of ways to get involved in the organization. Welcome to Hands in Motion, Rob. Guest bio: Rob McClellan, OTR/L, CHT, COMT-UL has 23 years of experience working in hand and upper limb rehabilitation. He is an active member of the American Society of Hand Therapists serving on the Board of Directors as Board Member at Large, the Leadership Committee, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He is an active member of the American Association for Hand Surgery and is the Immediate Past President of the Georgia Hand and Upper Extremity Special Interest Group. He has had the opportunity to speak at previous ASHT Annual Conferences and the IFSSH/ IFSHT Triennial Congress in London. Rob is the Hand Program Coordinator for Physio/ Select Medical in Georgia

We are joined by Dr Brad Grunert, a psychologist who has worked for many years with patients who have sustained traumatic injuries to their upper extremity. He shares with the techniques that we can utilize in our hand therapy sessions to support the psychological needs of our patients and help them cope with their injury. Guest bio: Dr. Grunert is a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin. His areas of specialty include working with traumatically hand-injured patients, and he has published extensively in this area. He also has interests in psychogenic hand disorders and chronic pain disorders of the upper extremity. He is in his 47th year of practice and still enjoys the opportunity to assist patients in coping with the psychological residuals of hand injuries and their accompanying disability. Dr. Grunert is a fellow of Wisconsin Psychological Association and a member of the American Psychological Association.

On this episode, we are joined by Yeiddy Ferreira, an occupational therapist who is spending three months volunteering as a hand therapist with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone, Africa. Yeiddy shares with us what life is like living on the ship and caring for patients who have undergone surgery to their upper extremity. Guest bio: Yeiddy L. Ferreira, OTR/L is originally from the Dominican Republic. She graduated from Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, New York with a Masters in Occupational Therapy. She has always had a passion for hand therapy and began working in the field after she graduated in 2021. In 2022, she went on her first medical mission trip as a hand therapist in the Dominican Republic. After this experience, her passion for serving and helping others grew further. This is when she came across Mercy Ships and accepted a three-month commitment to serve as a hand therapist in Sierra Leone, Africa. When not taking care of patients on the ship, Yeiddy spends her time studying for the CHT Xxam which she plans to take in November 2024.

On this episode, we are joined by Ann Lucado, a physical therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who led a team of clinicians to develop the clinical practice guideline, “Lateral Elbow Pain and Muscle Function Impairments.” Ann shares with us what a clinical practice guideline is and how they are developed, as well as the results of this guideline and how therapists treating patients with lateral elbow pain can best utilize the evidence. Guest bio: Ann Lucado, PT, PhD, CHT Ann Lucado is a physical therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who has specialized in upper extremity and orthopedic rehabilitation for the past 30 years. She is an active member of the APTA’s Academy of Orthopedic Physical therapy and is currently serving as the Chair of the Research Committee and Coordinator of Clinical Practice Guideline Development for the Academy of Hand and Upper Extremity Physical Therapy. She received her Master of Science in Community Health Education and Physical Therapy and received her PhD in research methodology and design in Physical Therapy. Dr. Lucado is currently an Associate Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Mercer University located in Atlanta, Georgia. She has conducted numerous instructional seminars and is the author of several research articles related to elbow tendinopathies. She headed the Guideline Development group for the recently published Clinical Practice Guideline related to Lateral Elbow Pain and Muscle Function Impairments in the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-lucado-6a656520/ https://instagram.com/annlucado?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D&utm_sour

On this episode are joined by Alyssa Phillips, an occupational therapist who has spent a large majority of her clinical practice and research on how patients perceive pain and the relationship between psychological factors and pain. On this episode, she shares with us the importance of recognizing how psychological factors can have an effect on our patient’s recovery. She also shares strategies for maximizing our patient’s functional outcomes while addressing their pain. Guest bio: Alyssa L. Phillips, CScD, MOT, OTR/L Alyssa graduated from Saint Francis University with her Masters of Occupational therapy and later with her Doctorate in Clinical Science from the University of Pittsburgh, focusing on adolescent pain management. Alyssa brings a unique background with an undergraduate degree in psychology to her practice as an occupational therapist. For the last six years, she has worked in a variety of clinical settings including: upper extremity, chronic pain, neurological, work & industry, and pediatrics. Currently, Alyssa is the Clinical Education Coordinator and an assistant professor at Pacific University.

On this episode we are joined by our first repeat guest, Jim Wagner. Jim is an occupational therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who also has a background in strength training and conditioning. He shares with us how to implement strength and conditioning in our hand therapy practices and why it’s important for our patients. Jim Wagner OTD, OTR/L, CHT, CPAM, CSCS Dr. Wagner is an occupational therapist/Certified Hand Therapist with 28 years of clinical experience working in the upper extremity orthopedic setting. He received his post professional clinical doctorate from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions with a specialty in hand therapy. Dr. Wagner is credentialed in physical agent modalities and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Jim is currently the team leader of the Guthrie Hand Center and is an adjunct professor at both Keuka and Ithaca College occupational therapy programs. Jim has been involved in competitive powerlifting/bodybuilding for 35 year and has been in 28 competitions. He has traveled extensively teaching on topics such as kinesiology taping, cupping, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobility, orthotic fabrication and blood flow restriction training. Jim is a member of the American Society of Hand Therapists. He has been published in the practice forum section of the Journal of Hand Therapy and serves on the Education Division of the ASHT. Article Links:  Comparison of blood flow restriction devices and their effect on quadriceps muscle activation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2021.02.005 Practical Blood Flow Restriction Training Increases Acute Determinants of Hypertrophy Without Increasing Indices of Muscle Damage. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2013/11000/Practical_Blood_Flow_Restriction_Training.20.aspx Blood Flow Restriction Training: Implementation into Clinical Practice. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5609669/ Differences in the limb blood flow between two types of blood flow restriction cuffs: A pilot study. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.931270/full

On this episode we are joined by Julianne Howell, a physical therapist and certified hand therapist who has contributed significantly to the field of hand and upper extremity therapy through publications and teaching of the use of relative motion orthoses. We discuss the concept of relative motion and how this was initially used in treating extensor tendon repairs but now is being utilized for protection, assessment, exercise, and adaptive techniques. We also explore a variety of diagnoses and instances where patients might benefit from a relative motion extension or flexion orthosis. Guest: Julianne W Howell, PT, MS, CHT Julie has enjoyed being a physical therapist, with more than 40 years of her career dedicated to the management of the upper limb and hand. Practice sites have varied from the Midwest and to the west to east coasts in acute hospitals, an adult burn center, as owner of a private hand therapy practice, development of two corporate hand centers and as a private consultant. She has had the great fortune to work side by side with hand surgeons and therapists who have influenced her approach to patient care as well as the science of hand surgery and hand therapy. Julie has strived to be a lifetime learner, provide valued patient care, and to be a good mentor and colleague. Early in her career, she set a personal goal to routinely contribute to the science of hand therapy. She now has over 20 peer-reviewed publications and 15 book chapters and articles. Julie has participated in countless professional seminars and is proud of her service to AAHS, ASHT, IFSHT, Journal of Hand Therapy, Hand, and Techniques in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery. She has been honored to receive the AAHS Vargas Teaching Award, ASHT RL Petzoldt Award for best innovative research, ASHT Best Clinical Research paper, the Journal of Physical Therapy Jack Walker Award for best clinical practice manuscript and most downloaded IFSHT presentation. She has had the great honor to be awarded Philadelphia’s Honored Professorship and Invited Speaker for the New Zealand, Dutch, Canadian and Malaysian Hand Therapy Societies. Co-editing the 2023 Journal of Hand Therapy relative motion special issue was also a very satisfying achievement for Julie! Julie feels very fortunate to have collaborated with many colleagues over the years, especially Wyndell Merritt, MD, FACS and Melissa Hirth, BOT, MSc, PhD. Together they have made an evidence-based global impact concerning the relative motion concept and orthoses.

We are just weeks away from gathering in San Antonio, Texas for the 46th ASHT Annual Meeting. If you haven’t signed up yet to attend either in person or virtually, this episode might give you the little push you need to register. We are joined by Missy Thurlow, this year’s annual meeting chair. She shares with us what we can expect at the meeting during the plenary sessions, the concurrent sessions, and of course the social and networking opportunities. Guest bio: Missy Cathcart Thurlow, MBA, OTR/L, CHT works in Atlanta, Georgia for Peachtree Orthopedics. She has been an occupational therapist for 42 years and graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 1981. Missy is currently the ASHT Annual Meeting Chair and also works closely with the Georgia Hand and Upper Extremity Special Interest Group. Previously, she has given many years to serving on the ASHT board of directors and loves working with other therapists by providing great education. Missy is a fieldwork instructor and loves to teach students about hand and upper extremity rehabilitation.

On this episode, we are joined by Judy Colditz. Judy is an occupational therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who has contributed to the field of hand and upper extremity therapy for a number of years through sharing her knowledge. She has published journal articles, written book chapters, and provided educational offerings on a variety of hand therapy topics. On this episode, Judy shares with us a concept for treating stiff hands that she developed called Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness. We discuss how this concept came to be and how we can apply this technique in our clinical practice. Guest: Judy Colditz, OT/L, CHT, FAOTA

On this episode, we are joined by Sarah Tuberty, OTD, OTR/L, an occupational therapist who, through her own lived experience of being born with a limb difference, is helping to increase visibility and inclusion of the limb difference community. She shares with us how the language around limb differences has evolved and how we as therapists can create a supportive network for patient and families as they navigate the limb difference community. Guest Bio: Sarah Tuberty, OTD, OTR/L, has the lived experience of a congenital hand difference, meaning she was born without fingers on her left hand and was a patient of the Shriners Hospital for Children – Northern California. Her life has been a journey of adaptation and understanding of the disability experience. She earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from Boston University. Partnering with her hand surgeon, Michelle James, MD, Sarah developed the Congenital Hand Differences Resource website, which is an online resource for parents of children with hand differences. Sarah sought to continue to make accessible resources for parents and partnered with co-author, Nina Lightdale-Miric, MD to write The Hand Book: An Informational Guide for Parents of Children with Hand Differences. This book is recently published by ASSH and funded by AFSH. Sarah’s particular interests surround the social and emotional aspects of growing up with physical differences. Her work includes co-founding and co-hosting Disarming Disability, a podcast on deconstructing the social construct on disability and an author of Super-Abled Comics, featuring six short stories of superheroes with limb differences written by authors who have limb differences. She is ecstatic to level up her work, and has just completed her first year in an OT PhD program at Texas Womans University. Sarah works to provide consulting services on disability related topics, modeling, and has presented at multiple events on topics around inclusion, disability stigma, and lived experience with a congenital hand difference. All of these efforts are to create a true and positive narrative of disability, where we can all be proud of who we are, what our bodies look like, and how they move.

On this episode we are joined by Greg Johnson. In 2017 Greg was involved in an accident and sustained amputations of his long, ring and small fingers of his right hand. After his injury his goal was to restore his independence, and he found that through the use of a variety of prosthetics. Greg shares with us his experience of learning to use a variety of prostheses that have allowed him to return to work and the other activities that are meaningful to him. Guest Bio: Greg Johnson entered the United States Navy in 1985 as an advanced electronic technician. He was deployed three times to the Persian Gulf, Mediterranean and North Atlantic. He was part of the first responders to the TWA Flight 800 plane crash, driving for 43 days recovering victims and wreckage. PO Johnson was selected as the 1999 Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year and was transferred to Washington, DC as a Special Assistant to the CNO. He was promoted in 2000 and was deployed twice as an Officer in Charge to the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. From 2004-2007, he was stationed in Guam where he served as the Readiness and Training department head. In 2007, he transferred to Naval Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technology Division, serving as the Readiness and Training Officer and Officer in Charge of the Foreign Material Acquisition Platoon. After 26 years in the Navy, he retired in November 2010 and worked as a government service employee as the Foreign Material Acquisition team lead. While in this role, he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan three times. While working overseas, Mr. Johnson was wounded by improvised homemade explosive devices resulting in the loss of fingers on his right hand and numerous shrapnel wounds throughout his body.

On this episode, we are joined by Dwight Putnam, a certified prosthetist who works at a pediatric hospital in Texas. He brings a unique perspective to his job as a prosthetist as he previously worked as a professional sculptor. In his job, Dwight works with kids born with congenital hand differences and he builds terminal devices that allow them to participate in the activities that are meaningful to them. Guest bio: Dwight Putnam, CP/LP, graduated from Austin College with a degree in art with an emphasis in sculpture. He worked as a professional sculptor building works of art for casinos, museums, zoos and retail companies around the globe before an opportunity arose to fabricate silicone appliances for the face, hands, and feet. It was then that he saw how his background in sculpture could help change people’s lives so he returned to school to become a prosthetist. Dwight graduated from California State University and completed his prosthetics residency at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. After completing his residency in 2007, he joined the staff at Scottish Rite as a certified prosthetist and has been there ever since. He designs both upper and lower extremity prosthetics for pediatric patients.

On this episode, we are joined by Haley Van Escobar, an occupational therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who serves in a unique role as a consultant for a prosthetics company. Haley shares with us how she transitioned into this role and how a hand therapist is vital to a multidisciplinary team when addressing partial hand amputations. Guest Bio: Haley Van Escobar, MOTR/L, CHT is a certified hand therapist with a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and more than a decade of experience caring for the upper extremity. She is excited about innovation, great clinical skills, and the ‘why’ we do what we do. Haley provides hand therapy consultation for Naked Prosthetics, the leading manufacturer of partial-hand prosthetics. In this role, constant collaboration with a team of a variety of healthcare professionals allows Haley to get people back to life through prosthetic intervention. Inspired by great clinical outcomes and relationships, Haley works to advance the practice of hand therapy through creating top-tier educational events and workshops, approved for credit by AOTA which can be found on her website. Haley is a contributor to Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation, 4th edition, serves as project lead for the ASHT Education Division, and serves on AAHS’s Education Committee.

On this episode, we are joined by Danielle Sparks, an occupational therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who currently serves as the Director of ASHT’s Practice Division. Danielle gives us the inside scoop on the Practice Division and how ASHT, along with our legislative consultants, advocates for our profession and how you can get involved as well. Guest Bio: Danielle Sparks, DHS, MOT, OTR, CHT is the Director of Therapy at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center in Indianapolis, IN. She has been an occupational therapist since 2009 and a Certified Hand Therapist since 2015. Danielle received her post-professional doctorate in 2018 at the University of Indianapolis. She is the current Practice Division Director for ASHT and has been a member of the Practice Division since 2017. Danielle is passionate about patient care and advocating for our profession.

On this episode, we are joined by Karen Roeming, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist who has a servant’s heart and a special place in her heart for the people of Sierra Leone, Africa. Karen shares with us about a recent mission trip she organized to Sierra Leone to help survivors of a gas explosion that occurred in 2021. We discuss the challenges of providing medical care in an underdeveloped country and how the team used their creative therapist minds to treat the burn survivors. Guest Bio: Karen Roeming, OT, MA, CHT is the Director of Occupational Therapy at Colleyville Physical Therapy in Colleyville, Texas. She graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in Occupational Therapy and then received a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Karen has served on the Board of Directors and the Annual Meeting Committee for the American Society of Hand Therapists. She has also served as President and Education Chair for the Texas Society for Hand Therapy and is a co-founder of the DFW Hand Society. Karen has been a speaker at national, state, and local hand therapy society and occupational therapy educational meetings. Karen is a repeat missioner to Bo, Sierra Leone, Africa. She started the Run for Rescue 5K and 1-mile event in 2010 and directed the Sponsor-a-Child program for the Child Rescue Center in Sierra Leone.

On this episode, we are joined by Stephanie Kannas, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist who has taken a special interest in treating patients who have sustained traumatic brachial plexus injuries. Stephanie discusses the mechanism of injury, common surgical procedures, and the role of upper extremity therapists in restoring function for these patients. If you have questions or would like to use Stephanie as a resource, her contact email is kannas.stephanie@mayo.edu. Guest Bio: Stephanie Kannas, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, is the Director of the Occupational Therapy Fellowship Program, Coordinator of the Occupational Therapy Hand Fellowship Program and clinical lead occupational therapist in hand therapy at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. She is an assistant professor for the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Stephanie serves on the AO North America Hand Education Committee and holds an Affiliate Member At Large position for the American Society of Hand Surgery. Stephanie received her baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy in 2000 from the University of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2016, she earned her post- professional doctoral degree in occupational therapy and successfully completed the hand therapy elective track from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah. She is a Certified Hand Therapist. She has over 21 years of experience at Mayo Clinic. The majority of her time has been focused on hand injuries varying from complex trauma cases while patients are hospitalized to outpatient therapy needs.

On this episode we are joined by Patti Sharp, an occupational therapist who has spent several years working with pediatric patients who have sustained burn injuries. Patti discusses the role of occupational and physical therapy in a burn unit, what makes treating children different, and strategies for treating this population who have sustained life-altering burn injuries. Guest Bio: Patti Sharp, OTD, MS, OTR/L, BCP, is a pediatric occupational therapist with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) in Ohio. She earned her Master’s in OT at Washington University and OTD at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions and has over 20 years of pediatric experience. She has specialized in burns and neurorehabilitation, but now focuses on enhancing care in the developmental world. She co-leads the Developmental Coordination Disorder team at CCHMC and is a certified Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) therapist and trainer.