National Physical Therapy Month: How Concordia’s Outpatient Physical Therapy Helps Patients Get Back on Their Feet

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When Economy, PA resident Linda Brown injured her rotator cuff, she was not looking forward to the prospect of rehab. However, when she learned about the outpatient physical therapy program at Concordia at Villa St. Joseph in nearby Baden, PA., she was surprised to find that treatment was drastically different from anything she experienced at other physical therapy facilities.

“I went to outpatient therapy many years ago for different reasons and I stopped going after one or two visits because I was uncomfortable,” she explained. “When I came to Concordia it was different. The therapists work with me personally. My therapist [Becky] takes time to explain the easiest and most beneficial way to do the exercises.”

For many patients, especially seniors, outpatient physical therapy is the next step in the recovery process after suffering an injury or serious illness. In addition to providing relief from pain, improving strength, mobility and independence, physical therapy treatments offer patients a ton of long-term wellness benefits.

For Linda, one of those benefits was improving her health by practicing the exercises she worked on during physical therapy sessions at home.

“The therapists take time to make sure you’re doing the exercises correctly so that you can continue treatment on your own which is important,” she said. “I’m very pleased with the progress I’ve made.”

Benefits of Outpatient Physical Therapy for Seniors

Outpatient physical therapy provides patients with many health benefits in addition to treating acute illnesses or injuries. Physical therapy treatments offer relief from chronic illnesses and pain, improved long-term wellness and ensure an individual regains their health and mobility. For seniors especially, physical therapy is important in the treatment of many age-related illnesses including arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and more. For seniors who suffered a fall or serious injury, physical therapy is integral to the recovery process. Several benefits of physical therapy include:

• Restores healthy function to certain areas

• Strengthens muscles, joints and ligaments

• Increases circulation throughout the body

• Eases pain and reduces swelling

• Helps with activities of daily living

• Manages chronic illnesses (diabetes, heart disease, etc.)

Reduces fall risk  

Each type of physical therapy treatment is unique and offers different health benefits. An initial consultation with your physical therapist will determine what physical therapy treatment will be the most beneficial for you.

Leading Physical Therapy Treatments

Before beginning an outpatient physical therapy program, your physician or health care provider will write a script for an evaluation. During the initial evaluation, your physical therapist will create a tailored treatment plan designed to meet your specific health care needs. Typical treatment plans have a duration of 30 days, with physical therapy occurring two to three times per week. However, every individual plan is different. Below are several common types of physical therapy treatments:

Manual Therapy/Therapeutic Massage – Manual therapy is the stimulation of joints and soft tissues of an injured area by a physical therapist. Manual therapy is particularly important for seniors with back pain and muscle injuries. This type of physical therapy can significantly reduce pain in areas with severe strain and inflammation.

Aquatic Therapy/ Hydrotherapy – Aquatic therapy (offered exclusively at Concordia at Cabot) is beneficial for many seniors with acute or chronic pain or injuries. The water absorbs most of an individual’s weight, which means that less strain is placed on the joints and muscles. Aquatic therapy requires little to no equipment and is particularly effective in treating arthritis and other chronic conditions.

Therapeutic Exercise/Activity Training – Exercise therapy is one of the most common forms of physical therapy treatment and incorporates a variety of exercises and physical activities to help an individual regain strength and mobility.

Concordia offers outpatient physical therapy programs in Baden (Concordia at Villa St. Joseph) as well as at Concordia at Cabot. Both offer extensive and comprehensive treatment options to help patients recover from many illnesses, injuries and treat chronic conditions. For more information about our physical therapy programs near you, call our headquarters at 724-352-1571 or message us through our online contact form.

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