Somatosensory rehabilitation is a method of assessment and treatment for neuropathic pain developed in Switzerland two decades ago by Claude Spicher, a Swiss hand therapist. It draws on contemporary understandings of functional neuroanatomy to address both sensory loss and sensory gain (allodynia). While it can be used for the entire body, it is especially useful for conditions commonly seen in the upper extremity such as complex regional pain syndrome, painful scars, nerve compression syndromes, and burns. Join us as Tara Packham discusses the mechanics of Somatosensory Rehab: how it works and how this can be applied to your patients presenting with persistent pain.
Dr. Tara Packham is an occupational therapist and assistant professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. She worked for over 25 years in hand and upper limb rehabilitation before completing a PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Joy MacDermid. Her research interests are at the intersection of persistent pain and upper limb conditions, with a special focus on moving evidence into practice. She is active in the Canadian and American Societies for Hand Therapists and currently serves as Editor in Chief at Hand Therapy (official journal of the British Association of Hand Therapists and European Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy).
Dr. Packham can be reached at:
@TaraLPackham on X