Body positions and Movements of Pediatric Occupational Therapists Working in Sensory Integration Clinics and the Impact on Occupational Participation
Graduation Date
2011
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy
Department
Occupational Therapy
Department or Program Chair
Ruth Ramsey, EdD, OTR/L
Thesis Advisor
Stacy Frauwirth, MS, OTR/L
Abstract
This thesis was a replication study of Sasso’s masters thesis on movement patterns in pediatric occupational therapists (2009). This study was a non-experimental, mixed-methods descriptive design. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through surveys and observations. The observational aspect of the study included a comprehensive analysis of video footage of the therapy sessions in order to analyze the frequency and duration of body positions, as well as the frequency of body movements performed by pediatric occupational therapists.
Participants in the study included five registered and licensed occupational therapists who were recruited from three different Bay Area sites: Redwood Pediatric Therapy Associates, Helping Hands Therapies, and Kidspace. The five most frequently performed risky movements among all therapists from nine total sessions were reaching, pulling, twisting, lifting and pushing, respectively. Standing positions were held the longest, followed by sitting, kneeling, lying on the floor, and squatting. All five therapists experienced injury or pain in the past related to work; three of the five therapists reported work-related pain or injury at the time of the study.
Reaching, pulling, twisting, lifting, pushing, standing long hours, and assuming awkward positions are job demands that can lead to WRMDs. The therapists in our study performed several positions and movements that place them at risk for developing a WRMD. Further research on this topic with a larger sample size needs to be conducted. Research also needs to be conducted on the psychosocial effects of coping with a WRMD as there are several personal, financial, and occupational implications involved.