Theraputty is a type of malleable, resistive putty used primarily in occupational therapy to help improve hand strength, dexterity, and motor skills. It's often used in rehabilitation settings to assist patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, or conditions that affect hand function but we also use it a LOT in Paediatric Therapy, as it's a motivating way to work on hand strength and dexterity skills. What's it made of?
Theraputty is typically made from non-toxic silicone material, which is both durable and pliable
Why are there different colours?
It comes in 6 different resistance levels, usually color-coded to indicate varying degrees of firmness, ranging from extra-soft to extra-firm. This allows therapists to select the appropriate resistance for each patient's strength and progression.
NOTE: There are two main companies that we recommend, and the colours aren't exactly equal, in terms of resistance strength - when in doubt, always go with YOUR therapist recommendations.
Why do we use it?
Strengthening Muscles: By squeezing, stretching, and manipulating the putty, users can strengthen the muscles in their hands, fingers, and forearms. This can help translate in better pencil grasp, improve fine motor skills like pinching items, or tasks like manipulating beads.
Improving Flexibility and Range of Motion: Theraputty exercises help increase flexibility and improve the range of motion in the joints of the hand and fingers. Again, this can help with daily living skills across home and school environments.
Pain Relief and Relaxation: The repetitive motions of putty exercises can help alleviate pain and reduce stiffness, providing a therapeutic effect. This may be the case in swelling or rheumatoid arthritis and other joint conditions.
Rehabilitation: It's commonly used for rehabilitation after surgeries or injuries, such as tendon repairs, fractures, or arthritis management.
Hand-Eye Coordination: Manipulating the putting to retrieve items the child can see can improve hand-eye coordination.
Bilateral Coordination and Integration : Holding the putty with one hand whilst the other pinches, pulls or twists helps to work on bilateral integration and coordination skills.
See our related blog post on the similarities and differences between these terms here
Some important safety pointers for Theraputty use:
Supervision: Always supervise children to ensure exercises are performed correctly and safely.
Clothing and surfaces: Use old clothes or protective smocks if need be, and only use on hard surfaces such as a tabletop free of dirt or other debris. NOTE: Theraputty stains, and can leave an oily residue on clothing (I have lost quite a few favourite work tops this way over her years!!!!) that is impossible to remove - don't risk it!
Consistency: Regular use is important to see improvements.
Cleanliness: Theraputty can pick up dirt and debris, so it should be stored in a clean container when not in use..
We hope this series helps you understand how the use of certain resources in occupational therapy!
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