Objectives for Caring for the Orthopedic Client

According to the Society of Orthopaedic Medicine, orthopedics as a discipline examines, diagnoses or treats patients for lesions of the musculoskeletal system. The field developed around 1929 to address mobility problems not being treated by other medical professionals. An orthopedic client may have scoliosis, disk degeneration, multiple sclerosis or spinal issues. These could be the result of dysfunction, injuries or car accidents.

Performing Daily Activities

• The first objective is to make the orthopedic client's daily activities possible. Whether this is simply to successfully get out of bed and take a shower or to get the client strong enough to go back to full-time work. The client may need the assistance of a certified nurses' aide, occupational therapist, physical therapist or more to achieve this objective. Caring for the orthopedic clients succinctly means helping with activities of daily living.

Improving Balance

• Another valuable objective for the orthopedic client is to achieve optimal balance. Clients need to be able to walk, get up and out of a chair, get into a car and ambulate which all require balance. They may need exercises to perform at home or assistive devices, like a knee brace, walker or cane, to do so. Balance is about visual, vestibular and somatosensory (sensations of the skin and muscles) feedback. Teaching clients how to use these systems more effectively through exercises is a worthy objective especially with older clients.

Pain Management

• The pain following a car accident or even rehabilitative surgery can be tremendous. Therefore, an important objective for those individuals is reducing or managing pain. This can be accomplished through certain modalities like stretching, breathing techniques and massage. Exercise and movement is also critical for pain management. Finally, pain medicine may be necessary in conjunction with other techniques to keep pain under control.

Lifestyle Changes

• Although the onset or progression of orthopedic issues cannot be completely controlled, lifestyle changes can make a difference in quality of life. A good objective is to discuss what lifestyle changes could improve symptoms. These lifestyle changes might include losing weight, giving up poor habits like smoking or adding appropriate exercise into a daily routine. Other appropriate modifications are hiring a driver to get from one place to another or making modifications to the home for better accessibility.