THE COMMUNIQUÉ
ORTHOPEDIC HAND THERAPY
Continued from Page 3
Okay… seriously. There have been so many
changes, and for the better, as it should be as time
progresses:
•
Advances in medications in general as well as
for infection, pain, and swelling have allowed us
to see patients one day post-operation.
• There are four, six, and eight strand tendon re-
pairs with protocols to follow.
• Patients experience smaller incisions, no inci-
sions, or only arthroscopic incision sites.
• There is a trend for surgeries in doctors’ offices,
reducing costs for both the patient and doctor.
This reduces “downtime” physically, leads to
earlier return to work, and decreases the need
for pain medication.
• Upper extremity nerve transplants are emerging
as surgeons’ specialties.
So, dear colleagues, the longer you choose
to remain in your chosen field, the more knowledge
is needed to keep ahead of the best practice ap-
proaches for orthopedic therapeutic techniques.
About the Author
Susan Santilli
has been an occupa-
tional therapist for 30+
years.
She
enjoys
treating a variety of
conditions, but has a
special interest in the
orthopedic treatment of
the upper extremity and
comprehensive treat-
ment for patients with
extremity and facial
lymphedema. Susan is
a certified lymphedema
therapist and is contin-
uously expanding her
post-graduation
knowledge with contin-
uing education courses. In her free time, Susan en-
joys time with her family and expanding her
knowledge to better assist her patients.
R E C A P O F T H E 2 0 2 0 I L O TA S T U D E N T C O N C L AV E
Cassidy O’Connell & Mia St. Clair
Summary of the Day
Overlooking Lake Michigan, in the heart of Chicago, the 3rd annual Illinois Occupational Therapy As-
sociation (ILOTA) Student Conclave took place on February 29th in collaboration with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
(SRAlab). With the biggest turnout of students to date, OT and OTA students had the unique opportunity to
explore and further become educated on topics related to OT and the directions that the profession is going,
network with other students and OT professionals, seek support and answers through panel discussions, and
be enlightened by keynote speakers such as Dr. Frank Czuba and Dr. Glen Gillen. Most importantly, though,
students were challenged to take the information that they received at the conclave and become true change
agents in their future practice, in order to truly bring back the “occupation” into OT.
The day began with breakfast and networking, followed by an introduction from the ILOTA President-
Elect, Dr. Anne Kiraly-Alvarez. She officially kicked off a day full of knowledge, exploration, and growth with
the introduction of the opening speaker, Dr. Frank Czuba. Dr. Czuba’s presentation on “Occupational Thera-
py’s Role in the Promotion of Health and Wellness” was an opportunity for students to become excited about
the future of the profession and really take a look at what our role is within the healthcare profession. For
many students, this was an exciting yet provocative talk because Dr. Czuba touched on many current chal-
lenges that OT practitioners are faced with in practice and challenged us as students to break down these
barriers through the use of our OT lens along with principles of health and wellness.
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