Physical Therapy

What Is Physical Therapy?

At Physical Therapy, we work as a team to assure the highest level of quality care. The most important member of this team is you, the patient. The outcome of your treatment is based on your participation. Physical Therapists use physical and educational means to help the patient reduce aggravating symptoms and improve his or her ability of function.

Examples of physical therapy include the following:

• Exercise (i.e. stretching, strengthening and aerobic exercise)
• Thermal Modalities (I.e. heat, ice)
• Electrical Stimulation
• Traction
• Joint Mobilization
• Patient Education
• Fitting for orthotics or brace
• Taping
• Ultrasound
• Postural Retaining
• Massage

Our Physical Therapy Department provides medical support to each patient's physician by evaluating, treating and preventing a wide variety of movement and functional mobility problems, which often accompany illnesses or injuries. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants work with patients on an inpatient and outpatient basis, helping them increase movement potential, decrease pain, correct postural imbalances and achieve therapy goals for optimal health.

Our physical therapists and therapy assistants emphasize restoring function and developing skills that will make patients more mobile and safe in their living environment.

After evaluation to identify specific needs, the physical therapist may provide:

• Balance training
• Gait training
• Range of motion exercises
• Neuromuscular re-education
• Pain management
• Wound care
• Therapeutic exercise to improve strength and endurance
• Orthotic/prosthetic training
• Function mobility skills
• Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine return to work maximum abilities
• Job analysis

Some of the more common problems treated are those associated with stroke, head injury, joint replacement, fractures, or back and neck problems.

Your Therapist's Role

Your therapist's role is to evaluate your present condition and set up a treatment program specifically designed you meet your needs. He/she will be able to educate you about your specific problem, carry out your treatment plan, and provide you with written instructions for home use.

Your physical therapist will perform an evaluation to identify factors that may be contributing to your symptoms. Your therapist will then design a program to help alleviate the sources of the problem. This program may include therapies such as the use of heat/cold, massage, flexibility, and strengthening exercises, joint mobilization, postural correction, and relaxation techniques.

Our Goal

Our goal is patient care is to provide the necessary treatment to minimize pain, improve function, and to instruct and guide the patient toward independent management of his or her symptoms.

We feel successful when the patient:

• Has minimized aggravating symptom
• Is able to function as independently as possible in activities of daily living and/or recreational activities
• Has the knowledge and tools to avoid further symptoms independently
• Has taken responsibility for further progress by maintaining a home exercise program.

Your Role

As a patient you are invited to, and expected to, participate in you physical therapy program. You will be educated regarding your injury and your responsibility for recovery. This may include home exercise techniques for improving posture, range of motion and strength, and/or methods for decreasing pain. Your improvement depends on your compliance. However, at no time will you be expected to participate in activities that will worsen your condition or are beyond your capabilities. Your goals are important. Please share these with your physical therapist.

To see a Physical Therapist

You may be referred to a physical therapist by your physician who has done an evaluation and feels you would benefit from physical therapy. This situation is the most common way people come to see a physical therapist.