WVU OT Students Collaborate in Brachial Plexus Recovery

According to the National Institute of Health, the brachial plexus is a group of nerves that carries signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, and hand. The primary function of this group of nerves is to control movement and feeling in the arm and hand.

Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves and recovery can be improved by the interdisciplinary healthcare team through surgical and/or therapeutic interventions. WVU Occupational Therapy students recently had the opportunity to collaborate with physicians from pediatric neurosurgery and physical medicine & rehabilitation to learn about brachial plexus injuries in children and post-operative and post-injury rehabilitation protocols.

Under the direction of WVU OT faculty, Professor Breanna Adkins, MOT, OTR/L, BCP, occupational therapy students engaged with the Rockefeller Neuroscience Center’s marketing team to help develop parent resources to better support families affected by brachial plexus injuries in their rehabilitation care.

Dr. David Adelson, Vice Chair of the RNI, Dr. Stephanie Ferimer, Assistant Professor and Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, and Breanna Adkins, Assistant Professor and Occupational Therapist, will be seeing clients in the WVU Brachial Plexus clinic starting in October. To learn more about the WVU Brachial Plexus Clinic, visit this link.