Heavy work interventions in occupational therapy can involve activities that provide deep pressure (proprioceptive) stimulation to the body, which can help to regulate the nervous system and improve overall body awareness and sensory processing. The purpose of heavy work interventions in occupational therapy is to provide sensory input to the body and improve overall body awareness, as well as increase strength, coordination, and endurance.
These types of activities can also be used to calm an overactive nervous system and improve focus and attention. The mechanism of action is believed to be due to intrinsic inhibition to influence a response. This helps clients who are over-stimulated or even those who are under-stimulated. Heavy work can be particularly useful for those with poor reality orientation such as due to confusion or dissociation.[1]Champagne, T. (2011). Sensory modulation and environment: Essential elements of occupation: Handbook and reference. Pearson Australia Group.
The type and intensity of heavy work interventions will vary based on the individual’s needs and abilities, and should always be performed under the guidance and supervision of an occupational therapist. In addition, specific precautions and contraindications should be considered such as orthopedic conditions, poor cognitive awareness, fall risk, and so on.
- Balancing on a stability ball while performing weights or resistance band exercises
- Pushing a playground swing
- Isometric exercises
- Carrying groceries or heavy bags
- Animal care, such as grooming a horse
- Jumping rope with a weighted rope
- Mopping or vacuuming
- Pulling on a resistance band while seated or standing
- Walking or running while wearing a weighted vest
- Doing push-ups or sit-ups with added weight
- Pushing a heavy shopping cart
- Pushing a heavy baby stroller
- Digging or planting in a garden
- Swinging on a heavy rope or chain
- Squatting while carrying a heavy object
- Tugging or pushing heavy objects, such as furniture
- Playing tug-of-war
- Hiking or walking with a weighted backpack
- Weightlifting or resistance band exercises
- Stomping or marching in place
- Heavy manual labor, such as chopping wood
- Doing heavy work with hand tools, such as using a sledgehammer.
- Swimming
- Stirring for baking or cooking
- Jumping on a trampoline
- Exercising with a hand ergometer or other exercise equipment
- Carrying heavy items up and down stairs
- Raking leaves or other yard work
- Carrying heavy bags while hiking or climbing
- Carrying heavy objects up and down ladders
- Squeezing a hand gripper
- Playing with playdough
- Carrying a weighted backpack
- Wearing a weighted vest
- Rolling and lifting heavy objects, such as kegs or barrels
- Heavy resistance work with resistance bands
- Pulling a heavy object, such as a wagon
- Housekeeping tasks, such as laundry
- Scrubbing things by hand
- Carrying buckets of water or sand
- Digging sand
- Lifting and carrying heavy boxes
- Pushing a lawn mower or snow blower
- Pushing a weighted sled or dragging a heavy tire
- Pulling a weight machine or resistance band against resistance
- Doing push-ups
- Pushing or pulling large objects, such as a couch or refrigerator
- Lifting and carrying heavy bags of mulch or soil
- Scraping or sweeping with a heavy object, such as a snow shovel
- Practicing yoga
- Practicing tai-chi
- Rolling or manipulating therapy balls or sandbags
- Carrying a heavy load while walking on uneven terrain
- Rocking on a therapy horse or therapy bench
- Pulling a sled or dragging a tire
- Doing theraband exercsies
- Pushing a wheelchair
- Pushing a heavy door or rotating door
- Pushing a playground carousel or other rotating toy
- Kneading dough or other food preparation tasks
- Using heavy tools, such as a hammer or saw
- Climbing stairs while carrying a heavy object
- Washing a car
- Scrubbing tile in the shower or bathtub
- Mopping the wall
References
| ↑1 | Champagne, T. (2011). Sensory modulation and environment: Essential elements of occupation: Handbook and reference. Pearson Australia Group. |
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