Working with Pain:
The aim of managing chronic pain is to learn how to continue being active and successful at work or play, despite feeling pain. Participants will learn to understand the effects of chronic pain on activity levels, the principles of pacing and gain skills in stress reduction and relaxation. With the support of an Occupational Therapist, they will also gain the confidence and skills to communicate about pain appropriately, manage flare-ups and setbacks and begin to understand biomechanics and ergonomic principles as it applies to their pain experience.
Return to Work:
Working with an Occupational Therapist can increase the chances of a successful return to work following injury or illness. Increases in fatigue and discomfort are common when returning to work. Having a plan which is based on a gradual and systematic increase in hours and duties, improving posture and work habits will facilitate a sustained successful return to work.
Breathing:
Individuals can be triggered into an ineffective breathing pattern by many things… poor posture, working at the computer for too long, having a busy brain or feeling anxious, mouth breathing, experiencing pain - emotional or physical, suffering from trauma or grief, or from having asthma. When this happens they are often unaware a new breathing pattern has formed until some of the physical or emotional symptoms of not breathing well appear and stay for a while. These symptoms include: