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Georgia Hand Therapist Finds Niche in Rural Community
Author: | Thursday June 24, 2010
Pam Tutten, OT, CHT moved to Georgia for South Florida and immediately found herself busier than ever.
Hand Therapist Fulfills Need
For Her Expertise in Gilmer County
Nestled in the rolling hills of Georgia, half way between Atlanta and Chattanooga is the state's "Apple Capital", Elijay, GA, in Gilmer County. Gilmer County is also home to Carter's Lake, deepest man-made lake East of the Mississippi and Fort Mountain State Park, home of the 855 foot "Mystery Wall".
It is also home to poultry processor, Pilgrim's Pride, the county's largest employer with some 1,500 workers.
The beautiful setting and friendly people brought Pam Tutten, OT, CHT, and her husband, to live in the area where she joined the team at North Georgia Physical Therapy. It was the opportunity to use her expertise as a Certified Hand Therapist to help the workers at Pilgrim's Pride that drew her to the plant's assembly line.
Shortly after she was hired by North Georgia Physical Therapy, Tutten learned that workers on the "Trussing" line at Pilgrim's Pride were experiencing thumb injuries. After spending time at the plant and talking with the plant's Occupational Health Manager, Kerri Cornett, LPN., Tutten began studying ways to help worker's avoid injuries associated with the repetitive work.
"Up until this time, the employer has made attempts to alleviate the thumb problem by rotating employees off the line and adjusting the working surface, but the problem has persisted," Tutten told Georgia1st.
The therapist said the first thing that had to be done was to determine the level of strength necessary for the job by measuring the hand strength of those workers who had not sustained injuries and use the results as a base-line to measure other workers. Tutten estimated that a grip strength of over 65 pounds and a pinch strength of over 15 pounds in both hands would be sufficient.
The next step was to experiment with a type of splint for trussers to wear under their gloves to provide additional support. The Pilgrim's Pride team will get feedback from employees on the effectiveness of the splints.
Tutten also began to look at ways the working surface could be adjusted so the angle would not place the wrist in flexion as the position can affect stress on the basal joint of the thumb. Finally she recommended that employees be required to wear hats and sweaters because the environment, necessarily, is cold and low temperatures can affect human tissue, making strain and sprain more likely.
"Her ideas and efforts have been wonderful and Pam is doing a phenomenal job from the physiology perspective," Cornett told Georgia1st. She added that the response from the employees has been very good and Pilgrim's Pride management and department leaders are on board and support the ergonomic efforts.
For Tutten, her move to Georgia from South Florida has been a dream come true and in just a few months at North Georgia Physical Therapy her patient numbers have grown. As a hand therapist she fulfills a need in the area, where residents often had to travel to Atlanta for treatment and therapy of hand and upper extremity injuries.
Tutten has been an occupational therapist for 28 years and in 2002 opened her own company in South Florida, Tropical Palms Hand Therapy. But the call to live in a smaller community drew her to Georgia where she was a perfect fit for North Georgia Physical Therapy Associates. She joined the team in February, 2010 and by her eight week was seeing patients all day.
"I can't say enough about the work that Pam has done," said Cornett. "I am just thrilled that I live and work here," said Tutten.
Ed. Note: North Georgia Physical Therapy Associates provides physical and occupational therapy services. The practice has four locations; Elijay, GA., Blue Ridge, GA., Calhoun, GA. and Copperhill, TN. Visit www.ngpta.com or call 706-635-1440.
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation has been serving the food industry for over six decades and is one of the largest chicken companies in the U.S. and Mexico with approximately 41,000 employees. The processing plant in Gilmer County is one of 25 in the United States. The company is involved in community projects throughout its locations. Visit www.pilgrimspride.com.
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