Throughout your stay in hospital and beyond, you will be accompanied by physiotherapists and occupational therapists. The main focus is on maintaining the mobility of the skin. This is associated with joint mobility as the basis for the patient’s independence in everyday movements.
Intensive therapeutic follow-up care from the acute phase to outpatient follow-up care is crucial for an optimal outcome after burn injuries. With the consistent implementation of early compression and scar management, the University Hospital Zurich is following the gold standard. The aim of this concept is to accelerate wound healing, reduce swelling, influence scar maturation and prevent excessive scarring. This achieves an optimal result in terms of functionality, pain management and aesthetics. Patients are cared for by physiotherapy and occupational therapy on the intensive care unit for burns patients, on the ward and also in the outpatient clinic.
Possible main therapeutic measures for this specialty are:
- Respiratory therapy
- Measures to maintain movement, including in the bath or when changing dressings
- Manual scar therapy
- Patient education regarding scar management
- Positioning to prevent movement restrictions
- Splint treatment of the upper extremity and support in fitting splints for the lower extremity
- Adjusting early compression
- Functional training for hand and arm use
- Promotion of the patient’s mobility including gait training
- Training for everyday activities
- Checking compression material
- Carrying out reintegration measures
- Strength building