Energy Conservation Techniques

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Energy Conservation

Energy conservation refers to the way activities are done to minimize muscle fatigue, joint stress, and pain. By using the body efficiently and doing things in a sequential way, you can save your energy. Work Simplification and Energy Conservation principles will allow a person to remain independent and be less frustrated by their illness when their energy lasts throughout the day.

• Energy conservation techniques are not synonymous with promoting the “art of laziness.” Rather, energy conservation techniques allow for users to redistribute efforts to complete tasks that are most important to them.

Examples of people that benefit with energy conservation techniques include people with:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Acute/Chronic Respiratory Failure
• Congestive Heart Failure and Other Cardiac Conditions
• Motor Neurone Disease
• Hospice/Palliative Care Patients
• Repetitive Use Injuries
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• After Hospital stays
• Deconditioned clients

Techniques

Below is a general list of ideas you can work on with your patient:

• Educate your patient on pacing during the task and taking rest breaks throughout the day when they feel fatigued.
• Discuss planning and prioritizing the day around completing the most important tasks first, as well as the importance of not over-planning the day.
• Work with your patient to modify or simplify difficult tasks.
• Discuss delegating tasks as needed to family members, friends, or hired caregivers.
• Educate patients on the use of assistive equipment during ADLs. eg: Have grab bars installed in the bathroom, grab bars can help to stand and help prevent falls; Elevate toilet seat and elevate the chairs in your home. You use lots of energy getting to a standing position.
• Discuss completing ADLs and IADLs in the seated position. (It is useful to have chairs in every living area to take breaks.)
• Provide education and visual handouts on pursed lip breathing to complete as needed.

Energy Conservation Tips

Remember: The most important energy conservation tip is to listen to your body. Stop and rest BEFORE you get tired. Plan rest times. Rest often.

Educate clients to:

Dressing and Hygiene

• Sit when you can.
• Organize and lay out clothing the night before.
• Begin dressing your lower half first as this uses more energy.
• Avoid bending and reaching. Instead, use a reacher, sock aid or long handled shoe horn or lift your legs up onto the bed or chair.
• Dry off with terry cloth robe. You use less energy than drying off with a towel.
• If you have a weaker limb or limbs, it is easier to dress the weaker limb first. It is easier to undress your strong limb first.
• Wear clothes that are easy to put on and take off. For example, use: clothes and shoes with velcro® instead of small buttons, clasps or laces.
• Use the bathroom equipment suggested by your Occupational Therapist. For example using a bath bench, bath stool, grab bars or a raised toilet seat can make bathing and toileting easier and safer.

Cooking

• Cook and bake in steps to reduce energy use.
• Gather all ingredients and utensils before starting.
• Plan ahead with meal preparation.
• Make large meals and freeze in servings for later use.
• Use lightweight cookware and dishes to conserve energy. Use paper plates and cups to eliminate dishwashing.
• Use electric appliances such as can openers, blenders, food processors and dishwasher to conserve energy.
• Put items on shelves that are at eye or waist level. It takes more energy to reach over your head or bend at your waist.
• Consider buying easy to prepare or frozen meals, or using a meal delivery service

Multidisciplinary Team

Fatigue management involves a multidisciplinary team, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapist, dietitians, psychologists, and other members of the primary care team, working collaboratively to implement effective strategies and establish support system tailored to patients' needs.

Telehealth appointments: To offer a more convenient and accessible way to manage fatigue, telehealth appointments allow patients to receive consultations from the comfort of their homes. It reduces travel and waiting time, thus, reduces associated physical and mental strain. Moreover, telehealth appointments allow for more flexibility in scheduling. Hence, patients can easily adjust their appointment times based on changes in their energy level.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists are responsible for exercise prescription and management tailored to patients' life goals. The types of exercises generally include aerobic and resistance training, targeting cardiovascular fitness as well as strength and endurance of major muscle groups, with patients specific needs and preferences taken into consideration. The concept of pacing and planning should be incoporated into their exercise routines. They are also responsible in educating patients about the importance of exercise in managing fatigue as exercise helps to gradually increases the energy threshold, hence improving fatigue in the long run.

Occupational therapists

Occupational therapists help patients manage faitgue by integrating various energy conservation techniques into their daily lives, which involves activity and environmental modifications, and prescription of adaptive equipments. Some techniques used include priortisation of tasks and activity logbooks to monitor energy patterns. Tailored home modification and equipment, such as height adjustment of furnitures and prescription of shower chairs, are included to help reduce energy expenditure in activities of daily living.