Energy conservation techniques in occupational therapy (OT) are often referred to as Work Simplification Techniques and can help people reduce fatigue while improving quality of life.
Occupational Therapists specialize in treating patients suffering from chronic illnesses like COPD, MS and ALS who frequently rely on oxygen therapy; overexertion of physical movement may cause oxygen saturation (o2) levels to drop too low; to avoid this situation OTs teach their patients to use a pulse oximeter to monitor oxygen levels as part of following the 6 P’s: 1.
1. Positioning
When patients experience fatigue due to cancer, COPD, cardiac conditions, aging, MS or stroke they need to learn how to conserve energy efficiently so they can complete daily tasks in the most cost-effective manner possible. Occupational Therapists (OT’s) are invaluable resources in teaching this skill as well as providing any needed physical or environmental adaptations necessary for energy conservation.
At the core of these patients’ care is an aim to decrease fatigue and enhance quality of life. Fatigue is often one of the primary contributors to an inability to participate in activities they wish or must undertake, worsening symptoms in turn. Utilizing energy conservation strategies may help minimize fatigue, muscle pain and breathlessness when engaging in daily living tasks.
Positioning activities for adults occupational therapy aim to minimize effort and movement. This involves adapting the environment as much as possible in order to facilitate these movements, for example using a tub bench or shower chair to reduce bending and reaching. Occupational Therapists (OT’s) also advise against excessive bending and reaching; instead they encourage using long-handled dressing tools, sock aids, long-handled reachers and clothing that provides easy access (front closure tops, pants with snaps or elastic shoelaces are good examples).
Scheduling tasks to reduce multiple actions at one time is another key step to becoming efficient in life. For instance, meal preparation should involve the least physical movement possible: this could mean setting out food to cook, setting the table, and making drinks before sitting down for eating. Furthermore, having all utensils, cooking and cleaning supplies within easy reach helps avoid multiple trips back and forth to the kitchen or laundry room.
Finally, occupational therapists may encourage regular pulse oximeter use to maintain adequate oxygen saturation levels and identify when patients overspend energy – helping avoid symptoms like breathlessness, dizziness or nausea from worsening. By teaching simple energy conservation tips patients can reduce fatigue while improving quality of life and staying active.
2. Prioritizing
Energy conservation techniques enable patients to modify their everyday tasks so as to use less energy, relieving themselves of fatigue and strain while decreasing injury risks – giving them more freedom and independence in engaging in activities important to them.
Energy conservation can help your patients manage pain and fatigue more effectively by prioritizing important tasks and delegating or saving less important ones for later. It also ensures they have everything needed before beginning each task (e.g. laying out clothing prior to dressing; prepping food items prior to cooking).
Teaching these strategies and helping your patient change their daily routine, you can enable them to better manage their symptoms and enhance quality of life. These techniques have proven useful for numerous diseases including MS, COPD, cardiac conditions and aging.
A scoping review of the literature revealed a range of approaches used to deliver energy conservation therapy, which have been classified into six strategies with different underlying philosophies and emphasize client-centred approaches with specific goals and monitoring for symptoms such as pain or fatigue.
Oil, coal and natural gas are finite resources which will eventually run out. Furthermore, their use contributes to global warming as they produce greenhouse gases as well as harmful emissions like smog, acid rain and soot that harm the environment.
Renewable resources, on the other hand, are clean, green energy sources. Unlike fossil fuels such as wind turbines and fossil fuels that release greenhouse gasses into our environment, renewable sources like wind, solar power and hydroelectricity produce much less carbon dioxide while being more economical than their traditional counterparts. Therefore, teaching your patient about energy conservation and renewable sources should become part of daily routine to help decrease dependence on fossil fuels while contributing towards improving environmental health in our nation.
3. Pacing
Pacing refers to an individual’s ability to adapt the pace at which they complete tasks in order to reduce muscle fatigue, joint stress and pain. This involves balancing activity and rest periods, prioritizing tasks for delegation, using assistive devices as needed and adapting daily routines in order to save energy.
Pacing can be an invaluable self-management strategy for those living with chronic fatigue conditions such as ME/CFS. Numerous studies have confirmed this fact, showing how it helps reduce flare-ups and enhance levels of functioning.
Occupational therapy practitioners can utilize various techniques to teach the principles of pacing. They can encourage patients to plan their day, prioritize important tasks first and take frequent rest breaks when feeling fatigued; or suggest modifications or simplification of difficult tasks that need delegating by family members, friends or hired caregivers.
Occupational Therapists can help patients track their daily activities by encouraging them to keep an activity diary, which will allow them to identify patterns and understand how activity levels and symptoms relate. Furthermore, they may suggest the use of a pulse oximeter so as to maintain safe oxygen saturation levels in their system.
ME/CFS patients frequently benefit from learning how to utilize ergonomic equipment and strategies within the home, such as tub benches or shower chairs with back support to reduce leaning and reaching, comfortable clothing (such as front-closure tops with snap closures, long-handled reachers for socks aides or elastic shoelaces), groom themselves by sitting down rather than standing (see figure 1) as part of occupational therapy interventions (figure 1).
Occupational Therapists can assist patients in creating more structured daily routines that are easier to adhere to, such as having them wake up at a set time each morning and set an alarm for eating meals. They may also recommend the use of calendars and planning ahead, with smartphones used as reminders for appointments and medications.
4. Pursed Lip Breathing
Pursed lip breathing is a breathing technique used to relieve shortness of breath during daily tasks and can also stimulate autonomic nervous system relaxation, improving oxygenation in those living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It involves slow and deep inhalations through the nose while expanding diaphragm before exhaling through pursed lips in a controlled fashion. Pursed lip breathing stimulates autonomic nervous system relaxation by stimulating its autonomic nervous system stimulation which also relaxes patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
An occupational therapist can teach this breathing technique to reduce fatigue and allow the individual to complete daily tasks more effortlessly and efficiently. Additionally, this method may benefit people living with obstructive lung conditions like asthma and restrictive lung disorders like fibrotic pulmonary fibrosis which are types of interstitial lung disease.
Occupational therapy aims to tailor activities and routines in order to reduce pain, discomfort and fatigue while increasing independence. This may involve altering how an activity is completed; positioning the body; using assistive equipment or training patients on energy conservation techniques like belly breathing, pacing or pursed lip breathing.
Occupational Therapists (OT) can teach their patients to plan their activities ahead of time by organizing them into their day, rotating heavy and light tasks, minimizing steps, and encouraging the use of sit-to-stand aids such as those used during getting dressed, bathing and toileting to avoid prolonged standing time which may cause overexertion and worsening of symptoms.
An occupational therapist (OT) can educate a patient on the safe and efficient use of oxygen equipment. Furthermore, they may teach how to utilize energy conservation strategies within the home environment, such as cutting back on household chores or asking friends or family members for assistance cleaning up. Additional strategies could include setting realistic goals regarding how much activity can be completed by setting realistic goals for how much activity can be completed, scheduling rest periods as needed, or encouraging them to increase bronchodilator therapy to increase their tolerable level of activity.
