Innovation in Rehabilitation

While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy (OT) at Sardar Patel University in India, Nihar Gediya witnessed how regaining the ability to button a shirt can completely change a person’s confidence.

During a recent fieldwork placement for his Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) studies, he developed his own rehabilitative device to further empower OT patients.

“I’ve always been drawn to helping people regain their independence,” says Gediya, a third-year OTD student. “For me, OT is the perfect mix of science and compassion.”

Gediya applied his values to the clinical setting this summer as a fieldwork student at East End Occupational Therapy, an OT practice specializing in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. He conducted evaluations, provided daily treatments, and maintained progress notes as he rotated between East End’s various Long Island locations, while also noticing that some patients needed more engaging, functional therapy.

Using resources available in the clinic, the future occupational therapist assembled a strap and weight attached to a dowel, creating what he called the “wrist-roller rehabilitation device.” Patients roll the weight up and down to strengthen their wrist flexors and extensors. Simply changing the weight, speed, or strap length adjusts the device’s functionality.

“Creating and implementing the wrist-roller in a clinical setting gave me the confidence to merge creativity with evidence-based practice. I learned how adaptable therapy can be when you listen to patients and design around their needs,” he reflects.

Clinical creativity and success with patients became a scholarly achievement when Gediya wrote the article, “Rolling Toward Recovery: A Student Innovation in Hand Therapy,” based on his wrist-roller device. The paper details the idea behind the project, its construction, and how it helps in therapy. It also highlights how simple, low-cost tools can encourage patient engagement and independence. Gediya submitted it to the American Occupational Therapy Association for potential publication in OT Practice Magazine. The association provided positive feedback, and he plans to submit an expanded paper, complete with additional details and measurable outcomes.

At the same time, Gediya is completing his doctoral capstone and performing another round of fieldwork at Highfield Gardens Care Center in Great Neck, N.Y. His capstone, a qualitative study exploring patients’ experiences with hand therapy home exercise programs, looks at how patients perceive, adapt, and stay engaged with exercises outside the clinic. At Highfield Gardens, he supports daily living activities, improves transfer abilities, and provides cognitive retraining for geriatric patients and those in sub-acute rehabilitation.

Gediya’s support of others also extends beyond his fieldwork. Since spring 2024, he has worked with New York Tech’s Building Understanding and Developing Skills (BUDS) program to guide international students through academic and personal adjustments. From fall 2024 through summer 2025, he served as president of the Graduate Student Association, where he represented the graduate student body and advocated for their needs.

As he finishes his studies, Gediya looks forward to taking the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam and beginning his career as a clinician in a role similar to his fieldwork, focused on upper extremity and hand rehabilitation or in acute/sub-acute care settings.

“I’m particularly interested in helping patients recovering from injuries or surgeries and providing targeted therapy to improve their mobility and function,” he says. “I love the creativity in OT. It’s about finding ways to make therapy feel meaningful and personal.”