Hands In Motion American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT)

Welcome back to another episode of Hands in Motion. On this episode, we are joined by Kim Pace, an occupational therapist who specializes in industrial rehabilitation. Kim shares with us what her role is in returning clients back to their jobs after injury. We discuss how she evaluates clients and ensures that they are ready to return to their job, if modifications are necessary, or if another job might be more suitable based on their functional abilities. Welcome to Hands in Motion, Kim.
Guest bio: Kimberly graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1982. She spent eight years practicing in psychiatric occupational therapy and then for the last 34 years she has been involved in a variety of aspects of industrial rehabilitation. Kim performs Functional Capacity Evaluations, work evaluations, job site visits, job site videos, job coaching, and pre-employment testing. Kim has been at her current job for 22 years and has the privilege of working with 15 hand and orthopedic specialists which are on-site at all clinics where therapy is provided. Kim is very involved with the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association and was appointed by the governor to serve on the State of Michigan Occupational Therapy Board for six years. Kim's passion is to make sure clients receive therapy that will help them achieve their goals so they can resume their previous level of activity. 

On this episode, we are joined by Dr. Bryan Loeffler, an orthopedic surgeon who devotes a significant amount of his practice to treating patients who have experienced limb loss. He discusses with us the use of targeted muscle reinnervation, its indications, and how it has transformed care for patients to prevent pain and improve function.  
Guest bio:
Dr. Loeffler specializes in the entire spectrum of hand and upper extremity disorders from the fingertips to the shoulder. He has a special interest in complex elbow conditions and peripheral nerve injuries. Dr. Loeffler has been awarded multiple research grants to fund various clinical studies as well as a basic science study on biologic solutions to improve rotator cuff healing. He has authored numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from forearm injuries to shoulder and elbow replacement. Academic honors and achievements range from excellence in surgery to resident teaching award. He has also participated in two international medical missions, providing orthopaedic surgical care in underserved areas. Dr. Loeffler is a former NCAA Division I wrestler at the University of Maryland, and he remains active by running and spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children.

On this episode, we are joined by Emily Hartnett, an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist who has turned her hobby of rock climbing into a specialty area of practice.  She shares with us common injuries sustained by rock climbers and unique aspects of caring for this patient population.  
Guest bio:
Emily Hartnett, OTD, MOTR/L, CHT graduated with her Bachelors of Health Science in 2017, her Masters of Occupational Therapy in 2019, and her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy with a focus on rock-climbers' injuries in 2022 from Quinnipiac University.  Emily is an avid rock climber herself and has been specializing in treatment of the upper extremity since she received her OT license in February of 2019. Emily has combined her hobby and career to treat rock climbers; she has developed effective return to climb protocols and effective strategies, such as PRO (Pulley Ring Orthotic, patent pending) fabrication and application, to allow climbers to continue to climb while rehabilitating from injury.

On this episode, we are joined by Rob McClellan, our current ASHT Board Member at Large.  Rob shares with us all of the benefits of being an ASHT member and a variety of ways to get involved in the organization.  Welcome to Hands in Motion, Rob.
Guest bio:
Rob McClellan, OTR/L, CHT, COMT-UL has 23 years of experience working in hand and upper limb rehabilitation. He is an active member of the American Society of Hand Therapists serving on the Board of Directors as Board Member at Large, the Leadership Committee, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He is an active member of the American Association for Hand Surgery and is the Immediate Past President of the Georgia Hand and Upper Extremity Special Interest Group. He has had the opportunity to speak at previous ASHT Annual Conferences and the IFSSH/ IFSHT Triennial Congress in London. Rob is the Hand Program Coordinator for Physio/ Select Medical in Georgia

We are joined by Dr Brad Grunert, a psychologist who has worked for many years with patients who have sustained traumatic injuries to their upper extremity. He shares with the techniques that we can utilize in our hand therapy sessions to support the psychological needs of our patients and help them cope with their injury.
Guest bio:
Dr. Grunert is a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin. His areas of specialty include working with traumatically hand-injured patients, and he has published extensively in this area. He also has interests in psychogenic hand disorders and chronic pain disorders of the upper extremity. He is in his 47th year of practice and still enjoys the opportunity to assist patients in coping with the psychological residuals of hand injuries and their accompanying disability. Dr. Grunert is a fellow of Wisconsin Psychological Association and a member of the American Psychological Association.

On this episode, we are joined by Yeiddy Ferreira, an occupational therapist who is spending three months volunteering as a hand therapist with Mercy Ships in Sierra Leone, Africa. Yeiddy shares with us what life is like living on the ship and caring for patients who have undergone surgery to their upper extremity.  
Guest bio:
Yeiddy L. Ferreira, OTR/L is originally from the Dominican Republic. She graduated from Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, New York with a Masters in Occupational Therapy. She has always had a passion for hand therapy and began working in the field after she graduated in 2021. In 2022, she went on her first medical mission trip as a hand therapist in the Dominican Republic. After this experience, her passion for serving and helping others grew further. This is when she came across Mercy Ships and accepted a three-month commitment to serve as a hand therapist in Sierra Leone, Africa. When not taking care of patients on the ship, Yeiddy spends her time studying for the CHT Xxam which she plans to take in November 2024.