JoAnn Keller for Connective Strength Medical Professional Testimonials

Speaker: JoAnn Keller

JoAnn Keller : Hi, I'm JoAnn Keller I'm an occupational therapist and a certified hand therapist. I am also the owner of Hands For Living, which is a specialty hand and upper extremity clinic in Lynwood and Redmond Washington. I've also had the privilege of being a board member for the Connective Strength Organization over the past several months and have very much enjoyed, connecting with people that way.

JoAnn Keller : At hands for living. We specialize in the care of problems primarily of the shoulder, arm and hand. We're a certified hand therapist. So that is kind of our core, but that also involves the other parts of the body that the hand is attached to your elbow, your arm, your shoulder, even up to the neck and back, the all of the problems can be connected. So we specialize in taking care of those areas of the body and that gives us a chance to be really familiar with things that are effective and helpful when you're dealing with a problem in any of those areas.

JoAnn Keller : Our approach to practice at Hands for Living is to truly listen to our clients. We through the initial interview process, we are able to understand a lot of information, what things are working and what things aren't working. And through that process, we're able to figure out exactly what can be the most efficient and most effective way to solve the problems that are presented. Sometimes it's a combination of things. So often we might work with people to select a brace if they need an external support or brace for their hand, wrist or elbow. Sometimes it's a matter of problem solving and thinking through all the daily tasks and looking at what the demands are and whether they can be performed a different way, whether they're a priority, or to adjust how they're being done. In addition to that, the other thing that makes a huge difference for people is to think through what exercises need to be a part of the maintenance program to improve the situation or to keep things good once they've gotten better. And so some exercises will make things worse. Some exercises will make things better and we can help you to find, which of those, can be done in a way that isn't going to take up hours and hours and hours in your day. So, using all of those, options, there's usually a group of things that, that work, to make things better for a hand, wrist or arm problem.

JoAnn Keller : I think the most unique thing about the connective strength group is the partnership between providers, people that take care of people with Elhlers Danlos Syndrome or hypermobility and the people who have the condition. And that combination gives both perspectives and really helps us to achieve our goal of making it easier for people to get the care that they need and find the specialists that can help them with any particular problem. The the needs are so varied and this partnership has been a tremendously energizing and encouraging and positive contribution for, for all of us who have been involved with the group.