Beyond the Basics for Treating Arthritis

Nearly 60 million adults in the Unites States live with a form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and this is projected to increase to 78 million by 2040. While occupational and physical therapists can play a significant role in improving the quality of life of people with arthritis and rheumatic diseases, they need to look beyond typical conservative treatment and dive deeper into their clients' daily struggles such as sleep and fatigue or mental health comorbidities. Improving a patient's occupational performance takes much more than biophysical measures. The often-overlooked issue of fatigue for people with inflammatory arthritis and the inability to sleepdue to pain, stress, depression, and anxiety must be addressed before making sustainable change and adherence to physical activity routines.

This course will provide the latest evidence-based research related to sleep, fatigue, the mental health effects of arthritis and rheumatic diseases, and best practices toincorporate into treatment. Clinicians will improve their understanding of these issues beyond joint pain and gain practical tools and resources for addressing patient needs.

Highlights

• Immediately improve your clients' functional outcomes by addressing issues related to sleep and fatigue and integrate your learning into treatment planning
• Practical assessment tools and strategies to address fatigue and sleep-related issues in patients with arthritis that you can use the next day
• Integrate your learning of the effects of arthritison mental health and emotional wellbeing into your everyday practice

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Athletic Trainers