Physical Therapy Department
Physical Therapy is a health care specialty involved with evaluating, diagnosing, and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to restore maximal functional independence to each individual patient. To achieve this goal, physical modalities such as exercise, heat, cold and massage are utilized.
Physical therapy is provided by physical therapists who are licensed health care professionals with a master’s or doctorate degree in physical therapy. Physical therapists evaluate, diagnose, and manage the physical therapy treatment plan, customizing it to the patient’s needs.
Physical therapy is ordered by a physician when it is felt that such a course of treatment would be beneficial. It is offered to a wide variety of patient’s for a variety of different reasons.
Physical therapy is useful in treating many different medical disorders. Sport and orthopedic injuries, neurological and muscular illness, as well as cardiopulmonary diseases are only a few pathologic conditions which physical therapy plays a treatment role in.
Through patient and therapist interaction, physical therapy can help restore movement and function helping patients return to their prior level of independence.
Our Physician Therapy Department consist of the following areas: Physical, Occupational, and Speech.
Physical Therapy Physical Therapy is provided and is an integral part of the interdisciplinary rehabilitation program. Physical therapists address mobility, lower extremity strengthening, coordination and sensation. Therapy may address:
- Joint range of motion
- Muscle strengthening & endurance
- Mobility – by ambulation or wheelchair
- Need & use of braces or artificial limbs
- Car transfers
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists are available to help patients adjust to, or overcome, the effects of illness or injury, and address activities of daily living:
- Dressing, cooking, hygiene
- Upper extremity – strengthening, flexibility, coordination
- Mobility in the home
- Cognitive skills
- Perceptual skills
- Adaptive equipment
Occupational therapists at WCCH are certified by the American Occupational Therapy Association and are licensed by the State of Tennessee. Occupational therapists are graduates of accredited university programs, holding Bachelor’s or Master’s Degrees in Occupational Therapy.
Speech Therapy
Our Speech Language Pathologists have a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology, are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and are licensed by the State of Alabama Board of Examiners. We are in the position to treat our patients from the beginning of their illness in the acute hospital, through their rehab stay, and then in their outpatient program. Our therapists offer speech therapy for:
- Communication
- Language
- Cognition
- Memory
- Swallowing
- Speech
- Hearing Screenings
- Voice
We offer these services for a multitude of disorders/diseases, such as the following:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
- Cancer
- Cerebral Palsy
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Other neurological disorders
Individual therapy sessions are designed to build on the patient’s strengths to improve their communication and processing skills enabling them to become better communicators and more functional in their environment.