The Rheumatology team have recommended that you could benefit from therapy input to help you manage your symptoms. The therapy appointment may be face to face, by video call or over the phone. This will be with a therapist specialising in rheumatology.
Our role in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy is to provide you with information and advice to help maximise your quality of life while coping with a rheumatic disease. We work as a team and can also refer to other specialities within the rheumatology service.
Therapy in Rheumatology
What to expect when you see an Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy focuses on how your condition impacts you and your ability to carry out day-to-day activities. We will look at your difficulties and help identify practical solutions or advice. We may recommend equipment, provide splints to support your painful joints or suggest hand exercises. We can also provide practical suggestion and advice to support you in your employment.
Why do I need to see an Occupational Therapist?
If you feel any of these areas are affected by your condition, then you may benefit from an assessment by occupational therapy.
- Pain in your joints, in particular your hands
- Leisure/hobbies
- At work
- At college/university
- Caring for your baby/pregnancy
- Housework/kitchen activities such as making meals
- Taking care of personal hygiene
What happens at my first Occupational Therapy appointment?
Your first appointment may last approximately 40 minutes. We will ask a number of questions to establish how your condition affects your ability to carry out everyday tasks you wish to do. Through discussion with you, we will agree a plan of treatment.
If you are unsure and if you would like to see an Occupational Therapist please ring 0113 392 4523 and reception staff will arrange for you to speak to a Therapist to discuss.
What to expect when you see a Physiotherapist
During your Physiotherapy appointments, we aim to focus on what is important to you and this may involve:
- Exploring your current physical activity and discussing how we can help optimise your quality of life by providing advice on management of your long-term condition
- Your physical goals might be to improve your strength or balance to make your daily activities easier. Setting functional goals may then require the need for a physical assessment of your movement and function
- Finding ways to help manage your pain levels using gentle activity, relaxation, use of heat or ice or self-massage for example
- Linking you with Leeds community service/exercise groups that you may not be aware of
- Supporting you to build confidence to participate in regular exercise
- Providing you with ideas and strategies to self-manage for example how to adjust your exercise when in a flare of your arthritis
What happens at my first Physiotherapy appointment?
Your initial appointment will be a telephone call to establish what you would like to focus on, get some background to your problem and then you can choose what type of
follow-up appointment you would prefer which could be
face-to-face, telephone or video call. If you choose a
face-to-face appointment for assessment, please come suitably dressed for any physical examination, for example shorts for a knee examination.
The number of appointments will depend on your goals and the nature of the problem you wish to address.
You will be contacted by letter or text with your chosen appointment type. Please be aware if you do not respond to this letter within three weeks from the letter date, you will be discharged from our service. Our clinics are at Chapel Allerton Hospital, Lower Ground Floor, Therapy Services.
Please use this space to write down anything you would like to discuss with your Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist at your appointment.
(The writing space section is available on printed and PDF copies of the leaflet)
Contact details
Therapy department telephone: 0113 392 4523
To provide feedback on our Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy Service: Click the link below, choose Chapel Allerton Hospital, then Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy – Rheumatology.
Chapel Allerton Hospital
Chapel Allerton Hospital, Chapeltown Rd, Leeds LS7 4SA
Telephone: 0113 262 3404
https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/hospitals/chapel-allerton-hospital/