The role of physical therapy and occupational therapy in the rehabilitation of pediatric and adolescent patients with osteosarcoma

Abstract

The approach to rehabilitation of patients with osteosarcoma has evolved with the many advances in the medical treatment and surgical management of this pediatric and adolescent cancer. In the past, amputation (often radical amputation) was the standard method for treating patients with extremity sarcomas, and rehabilitation was geared toward providing either functional training for patients who had not had limb replacement or prosthetic training for those who had received prostheses. Currently, limb-sparing procedures combined with adjuvant chemotherapy (and occasionally radiotherapy) are used to treat most patients with this disease. In addition, physical-therapy and occupational-therapy interventions are now tailored to address the multiple physical and psychosocial difficulties these patients will face for the remainder of their lives. Integral parts of the interdisciplinary team, practitioners of these disciplines, provide services that enable patients to achieve their highest functional status to permit them to return to their role in society and hence enjoy dignity and improved quality of life.