Orthopaedic rehabilitation is an important part of recovery, whether your problem is due to a sports injury or recent orthopaedic surgery. RiverView's rehabilitation specialists work together to quickly and safely restore function; putting you back in motion. They not only eliminate deficits caused by an injury or musculoskeletal problem, but prevent them from returning.
RiverView Rehab Services houses a dedicated staff of professionals highly qualified in physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies, as well as cardiopulmonary rehab. Rehab services are available in Crookston, East Grand Forks, Fertile and Red Lake Falls, as well as through RiverView Home Care.
Most orthopedic patients need assistance in healing and regaining strength and mobility after injury or surgery. Rehab service's goal is to enable patients to resume daily activities and get back to work, fitness routines or athletic pursuits. There's no typical rehabilitation patient. Patients may be recovering from bone fractures, joint replacement, tendon repair or spinal surgeries. Others may be receiving treatment for the complications of arthritis or osteoporosis. Rehabilitation varies, depending on the nature and severity of the patient's condition.
Getting back to the basics
It could be that you just need a few tips from RiverView's Occupational Therapy (OT) Department on how to put your socks on after surgery. The skilled staff in this department is here to help patients achieve the highest level of independence in all facets of their lives.
OT treatment may involve therapeutic exercise and activities; self-care training and instructions in the use of adaptive equipment; and the use of physical agent modalities, such as ultrasound, electrotherapy, heat, and cold; and upper extremity orthotics.
The purpose of occupational therapy after surgery is to teach you how to do routine/daily activities while following your surgical precautions. Your occupational therapist will teach you how to use tools (adaptive equipment) to bathe and get dressed without hurting your back. You will also be taught how to use proper body mechanics to complete the routine things you do every day.
Or perhaps your gait is not all that great and you need to learn how to properly posture yourself from RiverView's Physical Therapy (PT) Department.
Posture is a reflection of how we carry and position our bodies. Postural restoration (often referred to as PRI) is a form of physical therapy treatment that encompasses the entire body. The main focus of the treatment is to identify and correct common postural patterns found in the human body. All humans have asymmetry in their anatomy that influences the way they stand, sit, walk and even breathe. This asymmetry leads the body to fall into neuromuscular patterns that negatively influence muscle function and structural alignment. By addressing the underlying postural patterns, we can more effectively treat the patient, and at the same time teach them how to prevent further injury. Postural restoration is an effective treatment approach for most musculoskeletal problems typically seen in physical therapy.
Physical therapy after surgery will be ordered by your doctor to assist with your recovery. Physical therapy typically begins on the first or second day after surgery, depending on the type of surgery you had. Therapy will focus on functional mobility (getting in and out of bed, transfers, and walking). The physical therapy staff is committed to making your post-surgical recovery and transition to home as easy and smooth as possible.
New alternatives to surgery
The newest service through RiverView's PT Department is Astym Therapy, an effective treatment that rebuilds and heals the soft tissues of the body helping to eliminate pain and restore movement.
RiverView Health Physical Therapist Tony Kuchan, who completed an orthopaedic physical therapy residency with Sanford Health in Fargo, is certified in Astym Therapy. He offers this noninvasive therapy in Crookston. Astym Therapy is designed to initiate a regenerative process that encourages the resorption of scar tissue and the regeneration of damaged soft tissues. Astym treatment is often prescribed for patients to treat their condition rather than undergo surgery, injections or other invasive treatments.
There is a long list of conditions that have been successfully treated with Astym Therapy, including joint and muscle stiffness, sprains and strains, carpal tunnel, chronic ankle or wrist pain and stiffness, tennis or golfer's elbow, low back pain, and the list goes on.
No matter the therapy you turn to for pain relief and increased function, know that all RiverView therapists are licensed and certified in the State of Minnesota and are trained in the latest techniques to get you back to your old self as quickly as possible.
For more information on any of the services offered through RiverView Rehab Services, call 218.281.9463.