VERSAILLES – Today’s options are numerous for those in need of physical therapy.

Versailles Health Care Center offers both in-patient and out-patient therapies, along with home-based care for some patients.

Often we think of physical therapy as a necessity following knee or hip replacement surgery. According to Dr. Stephen Winner, DPT, many opt to enroll in physical therapies to aid with issues not associated with surgical procedures.

Others may be cancer patients who opt for in-home therapy care.

“Some patients aren’t ready to go out into the community,” Winner said, following cancer care treatment.

Even students who play sports stop by Versailles HealthCare to take advantage of the center’s equipment, either to care for or prevent a sports injury, Winner said.

One of the many positive changes in patient therapy is that more and more people are choosing to take a pro-active approach and participate in physical therapy before a problem arises.

Most do not need a physician’s referral, Winner said, except for Medicare patients.

Versailles Health Care’s 16 therapists are trained to assist with a variety of physical, occupational, speech and pulmonary therapies, including cardio, orthopedic, pain management, urinary incontinence, stroke recovery, vestibular balance/falls, Parkinson’s Disease, sports medicine, hand/wrist, shoulder, traction therapy, and manual therapy.

Some therapies require the use of specialized equipment, for example use of the center’s anti-gravity treadmill, which was originally designed for use by NASA astronauts, Winner said. The treadmill is used by patients who aren’t yet able to put their entire body weight on their legs or feet.

The center offers a variety of specialized programs for both patients and their families, including the Parkinson’s program Big & Loud and Power Over Parkinson’s support group.

Big offers assistance with safe walking, balance and trunk rotation, while Loud addresses issues with soft, mumbled, monotone or hoarse vocal quality.

“The sooner you start treatment, the better off with more longevity,” Parkinson’s patients can be, Winner explained.

Other specialized programs include Strength After Stroke, a joint replacement informational program, therapies to help patients with swallowing issues and a safe driving evaluation for the geriatric driver.

“We don’t take their licenses away,” Winner said, but offer an evaluation that is provided to the person’s primary care physician. Often, he explained, some issues faced by older drivers can be solved with therapy treatments.

 

By: Susan Hartley

Source: https://www.earlybirdpaper.com