Department of Occupational Therapy Program Faculty Articles
Title
Screening for falls and osteoporosis: prevention practice for the hand therapist
ISBN or ISSN
0894-1130
Publication Title
Journal of Hand Therapy
Volume
23
Issue
2
Date of original Performance / Presentation
1-1-2010
First Page
212
Last Page
228
Abstract
Fractures of the upper extremity are considered a hallmark of underlying osteopenia or osteoporosis and strong predictors of subsequent fractures. Falling is the strongest single risk factor for fractures in older adults. Studies have shown that interventions to prevent falls can significantly reduce this risk factor. Hand therapists working with patients with an upper extremity injury from a fall cannot assume that screening for osteoporosis or the likelihood of falls has been addressed by other health care professionals. The purposes of this article are to 1) summarize osteoporosis and falls risk screening, 2) describe how fall prevention strategies can be integrated into hand therapy practice, and 3) present evidence for federal and professional organizational support of prevention practice.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
NSUWorks Citation
Thompson, M.; Evitt, C. P.; and Whaley, Mirtha M., "Screening for falls and osteoporosis: prevention practice for the hand therapist" (2017). Department of Occupational Therapy Program Faculty Articles. 74.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_ot_faculty_articles/74