Helping You Get Back to Everyday Life
We’re excited to announce that Total Physical Therapy now offers specialized Occupational Therapy (OT) services, led by Tara DeRosa, OTR/L, CHT, a certified hand therapist with focused expertise in hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder care.
If you’ve never worked with an occupational therapist before, you’re not alone. OT is one of the most misunderstood professions in healthcare,but it is also one of the most valuable. Here’s what it is, why it matters, and how our new offering can help you get back to doing the things you love.
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a healthcare discipline focused on helping people regain the ability to perform the everyday tasks, or “occupations,” that make up daily life. That doesn’t just mean work. It also means cooking dinner, cleaning your house, getting dressed, showering, and every small, essential action most of us take for granted until an injury, surgery, or condition gets in the way.
"Occupational therapy, to me, is really about making a difference in someone's life on their day-to-day basis."
OT practitioners look beyond a single joint or injury and ask a bigger question: : How is this affecting your ability to live your life? From there, treatment is built around your specific goals, such as returning to your job, caring for your family, or simply washing your hair without pain.
This is what sets occupational therapy apart. It’s not just about restoring range of motion or building strength in isolation. Instead, it’s about translating those gains into real independence at home, at work, and in your community.
Meet Tara DeRosa, OT
Tara DeRosa is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist who specializes in hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder conditions. She brings a patient-centered approach rooted in one core idea: your goals drive your treatment plan.
Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or working through an injury that’s disrupted your routine, Tara’s focus is on helping you rebuild the specific skills and activities that matter most to you.
How Occupational Therapy Helps You Reclaim Daily Life
A good way to understand OT is to think in terms of activities of daily living, or ADLs. These are the everyday tasks most of us perform without thinking twice:
- Cooking and meal preparation
- Cleaning and household chores
- Bathing and grooming
- Getting dressed
- Returning to hobbies and recreational activities
When an injury, surgery, or condition disrupts these abilities, it can affect far more than physical function. It can also impact confidence, independence, and quality of life. Occupational therapy addresses that gap directly, using individualized treatment plans built around your specific limitations and the activities you want back.
Occupational Therapy and Hand Therapy: A Specialized Connection
One of the most common, and most specialized, applications of occupational therapy is hand therapy.Because so many daily activities rely on our hands, wrists, and elbows, occupational therapists with advanced hand therapy training can provide specialized care for these areas.
Our hand therapy services are designed to treat a wide range of conditions, including:
- Tendonitis and tendon injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Trigger finger
- Arthritis
- Hand, wrist, and finger fractures
- Post-surgical hand and upper-extremity conditions
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Elbow injuries and conditions
Treatment may include targeted mobility and range-of-motion work, progressive strengthening, and post-surgical rehabilitation protocols coordinated with your physician.
In addition, your therapist may provide custom splinting and orthoses designed specifically for your anatomy and injury.
If you’re dealing with any of these conditions, hand therapy may be a helpful starting point. It can also help if you’re noticing stiffness, pain, or weakness that’s making daily tasks harder.
What to Expect
Every OT and hand therapy journey starts with a thorough evaluation. Tara and our team take time to understand not just the physical injury, but how it’s affecting your life day to day. Then, we develop a personalized treatment plan and adjust it as you progress. We always keep your specific goals in mind.
This might mean:
Restoring range of motion and reducing stiffness
Rebuilding strength for specific tasks, whether that's lifting a child, typing at work, or gripping a golf club
Post-surgical recovery support tailored to your procedure and physician's protocol
Custom splints or orthoses to protect and support healing
A gradual return to hobbies, recreation, and independence
Why This Matters
Too often, people push through pain, stiffness, or limited mobility because it doesn’t feel “serious enough” to warrant treatment. However, these problems can eventually start interfering with work, hobbies, or basic self-care.
Occupational therapy exists precisely for that in-between space: the daily frustrations that chip away at independence and quality of life, whether they occur before or after a major medical intervention.
With Tara DeRosa now offering specialized OT and hand therapy services, patients have access to focused, individualized care built around getting back to what matters most.
The goal isn’t just to heal an injury. It’s also to help restore your independence and get you back to the life you enjoy.
Learn More About Hand Therapy
Curious whether hand therapy is right for you? Visit our Hand Therapy page to learn more about the specific conditions we treat, what to expect from treatment, and how our personalized approach can help you regain strength, mobility, and confidence in your hands, wrists, and elbows.
Ready to get started? Ready to get started? Schedule your occupational therapy or hand therapy evaluation today and take the first step toward doing the things you love with greater independence and confidence.
