Occupational/Certified Hand Therapist Now Available at PCH/FMC

Paris Community Hospital/Family Medical Center welcomes occupational therapist/certified hand therapist Sarah Propst to its Rehabilitation Services Department.

As an occupational therapist, Propst provides rehabilitation for conditions affecting the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Her additional credential as a certified hand therapist (CHT) provides her with a more in-depth knowledge of diagnoses and treatments.

The CHT certification involves a minimum of five years of clinical experience and 4,000 hours or more in direct practice in hand therapy. In addition to demonstrating continued professional development and competency, she is required to recertify every five years. There are nearly 6,000 certified hand therapists worldwide, the vast majority of which practice in the United States.

Propst provides outpatient treatments for a variety of conditions that affect the upper body extremities (from the fingertips to the shoulders). These include rotator cuff repairs, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and arthritis. Inpatient therapies include teaching patients basic self-care tasks, commonly called activities of daily living (ADLs). For example, a stroke patient – who has limited use or no use on one side of his body – is taught how to cook his own meals, bath himself, and brush his teeth.

“My focus is restoring function in everyday activities,” Propst said. “I love to see the progress that people make and their ability to reach their goals.”

Propst also fabricates custom-fitted splints used for fractures, tendon injuries, arthritis, and more. These include splints with no moveable parts used to support joints in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, to those with moveable parts that are often used for nerve and tendon injuries.

Prior to PCH/FMC, Propst worked eight years as an occupational therapist at an outpatient rehab clinic in Terre Haute. Before that, she worked two years at an area hospital providing inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy.

Propst earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Indianapolis. She provides occupational therapy for patients of all ages. Her services are available with a physician’s referral.

Propst was born and raised in Marshall. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and furniture restoration.

The PCH/FMC Rehabilitation Services Department provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation. For more information about these services, call (217) 465-2606, Ext. 244.