Introduction: Post-stroke pain, especially in the upper limb, disrupts survivors’ daily lives. Occupational therapists play a pivotal role in managing this pain, but the literature suggests deficiencies in recognising and addressing it effectively.
Objective: This study aimed to describe occupational therapists’ practices in managing upper limb pain post-stroke in South Africa.
Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study surveyed occupational therapists who routinely treat stroke survivors in South Africa. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the data.
Results: One hundred responses were included for analysis. The survey revealed that 96.7% of participants recognised pain as prevalent among stroke patients. Notably, 48.9% always included pain management in interventions, while 43.5% lacked necessary skills and 16.3% reported time constraints. Therapists primarily focused on neuromusculoskeletal aspects of pain, with some considering mental functions, activities, participation, and environmental factors.
Conclusion: Pain management should be an integral component of occupational therapy intervention from day one for all stroke survivors. Recommendations include strengthening the profession’s focus on activity and participation while taking contextual factors into account.