During the first World War many military patients were confined to hospitals for prolonged periods while awaiting complete recovery. It was noted that those who busied themselves with such physical activities as required the use of their wounded extremities regained the use of these extremities sooner those who remained idle physically. Thus was born a branch of Occupational Therapy which was known as _functional_ to differentiate it from previous psychiatric use. Functional Occupational Therapy is used to increase three functions: muscle power, joint mobility and co-ordination of movements. It finds its greatest use in those patients who fall under the care of those medical specialists known as orthopedic surgeons and neuro-surgeons. Orthopedic patients are those who have disease or disability of one or more joints or bones. The most common disease of joints is called arthritis, of which there are several kinds of varieties. The most common disability of bone during war-time is fracture. Arthritis usually prevents complete joint motion. In some instances the joint is put at rest to hasten healing. Almost all fractured bones are kept fixed by plaster casts or traction and prevented from movement during healing. The prolonged rest, necessitated by diseases of bones and joints, permits muscles to become weakened or atrophied, and also permits joints to lose some of their range of motion. When the course of disease has reached that point where rest is no longer required, the chief aim of medical treatment is to restore former function. This means the restoration of power and mobility. This is accomplished by means of physical and occupational therapy. Physical therapy includes the use of heat, massage and guided exercise. Occupational therapy is exercise through work--purposeful, productive work with an incentive. The incentive is twofold--to produce something useful and to hasten recovery.