Interventions to Improve UE Skills Flashcards
Closed chain movements for UE rely on?
performed in weight bearing positions
Open chain movements for UE are for?
ability to move in space (reaching). These movements rely on the coordination of the scapula, shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers.
Tx of the hemiparetic UE is extremely important why?
b/c of it’s influence on functional movements such as bed mobility, transfers, postural control, standing, walking, etc.
If you find tightness in certain movements, you can use __________ in sitting. How would you modify these techniques?
Scapular mobilizations.
Modify to side lying position.
What is the progression of mobilizations?
Lumbar first, Thorax, then Scapula
During Scapula elevation mobilization, what is the alignment and primary muscles being mobilized?
Alignment: Facilitate pt into neutral/slight APT by pressing leg around back of pt where knee is at L-spine
PT firmly holds position and asks pt to slump into PPT*
Primary Muscles: Lower Trap, Lats Dorsi
During Scapula Depression mobilization, what is the alignment and primary muscles being mobilized?
Alignment: Facilitate pt into neutral/slight APT by using leg behind back
PT instructs pt to slump slightly (don’t allow scapula to move upward) Then holds position and instructs patient to come back up into APT
Primary Muscles: Upper Trap, Levator Scap, Pec Minor
During Scapula mobilization into Adduction, what is the alignment and primary muscles being mobilized?
Alignment: facilitate pt into APT
Hand Placement: one hand on scap with thumb and Thenar Eminence on axillary border of scap, the other hand comes around to stabilize the lateral ribs to make sure it does not rotate
Facilitation: put pt into APT with knee.
Instruct pt to weight shift away from you (relative adduction*).
Then hold scap in new range and have pt weight shift back to neutral as PT holds scap in new range, which increases ROM
Primary Muscle: Serratus Anterior
During Scapula mobilization of abduction, what is the alignment and primary muscles being mobilized?
Alignment: Place pt in slight APT with knee
Hand Placement: one hand on scap with fingers (PIP’s) on vertebral border.
Instruct pt to weight shift towards you(relative abduction)
*Can help unweight the contralateral hip by placing foot under hip and DF foot
Hold scap in New range and have pt weight shift back to neutral, while PT holds new range increasing the ROM
Primary Muscles: Rhomboids, Middle and Lower Trap
You have a patient that has increased tone in the hand, which results in a fisted position. What will this affect?
- ROM
- Skin on hand
- Increased sweating and skin breakdown
What is the sequence of opening a hand with increased tone?
- Start by rocking limb
- Align the wrist to the forearm
- Align the carpal bones to the radius and ulna by lifting and spreading
- Support the wrist alignment with one hand
- Move your other hand to fingers and keeping MP flexion, extend DIP’s and PIP’s (*Don’t touch palm!)
- Use traction at the MP’s and bring them into extension
- Lower hand to a weight bearing surface and place the hand down from the ulnar side first and work towards the thumb side
Can put hand on cloth or towel to preserve arches. Maintain arches and provide approximation over the thumb and little finger to get weight down into the thenar and hypothenar eminences
What are the purposes of UE weight bearing? FORCED USE
- To support the weight of the upper trunk and body
- To lift or move the body mass during transitional movements
- To stabilize objects against a work surface for task performance
What are the requirements with UE weight bearing?
- Movement in the trunk over the stable arm
- Arm muscle activity to maintain arm on the supporting surface while simultaneously supporting body weight
Two Common Patterns of WB for UE in Sitting is?
- Forearm weight bearing-forearm and hand supported to bear weight
- Extended arm weight bearing- support body weight on hands when the arms are extended at the side of the body
What is forearm weight bearing look like?
Easiest task.
Trunk and shoulder girdle actively “depress” into table.
This position is utilized often for stabilizing items during table top activities.
Use bedside tables- they can be raised or lowered to the appropriate height
Maintain arches Weight is taken through thenar and hypothenar eminences*
What is forearm WB position utilized for?
- If pt can’t do prone on elbows
- For pt’s with poor muscular control of the trunk and a flaccid UE- help retrain trunk movements with weight shifts and support flaccid arm
- Activate muscles in the involved limb to take on WB
- Can be used to increase mobility of the scapula
- Can be used to lengthen tight muscles b/t the trunk and arm
- Can decrease flexor hypertonicity
- Can assist with opening a tightly fisted hand