Rood Approach

ROOD APROACH

The Rood Approach stems from Margret S. Rood. She was both an occupational therapist and a patient. In the 1940’s she integrated her clinical observations with past literature based on sensory stimulation. Rood chose clinical teaching instead of writing. So, most of Rood’s approach is based on interpretations.

The Rood Approach is based on a few assumptions. Normal muscle is necessary for movement. If a person’s tone is abnormal, (hypotonic or hypertonic) movement will be inhibited. She also believed treatment should begin at the developmental level of function. Patient treatment is based on developmental sequence. Each skill builds on another; not furthering development until voluntary control is reached; utilizing the cephalocavdal rule meaning, treatment begins at the head and trails downward. Rood understood and assumed motivation enhances purposeful movement. Motivation can enhance or hinder a patient performance and participation. Lastly, repletion is essential to reeducate muscle responses. By repeatedly doing a movement, the brain is being assisted in developing an internal memory of that motor activity.

Rood’s Approach follows four principles. Reflexes can be used to assist or slow the effects of sensory stimulation, sensory stim receptors can produce predictable responses, muscles have different duties and heavy work muscles should e integrated before light work muscles (site).

Tonic Neck Reflexes (TNR) and Tonic Labyrintheie Reflexes (TLR’s) are two reflex mechanisms used to influence tone. These reflexes make it important to be aware of positioning of the neck and head to gravity. Proper positioning of the head and neck assists normal tone in the extreme.

The predictability of these responses can e used to achieve a desired outcome. Muscles are either stabilizers or mobilizers. Stabilizers are the heavy working muscles and mobilizers are the light working muscles. Light working muscles such as the fingers can’t...