Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA/Stroke)
Individuals who have experienced a stroke can face a multitude of challenges in the weeks, months and even years after the incident. The goal in rehabilitation after a stroke is to help the individual regain cognitive and physical function. Physical therapy provides Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) for muscle recruitment during activities, improving gross motor skills and increasing strength to stabilize joints. Physical therapists help to improve standing balance and normalize gait to reduce risk of falls. Physical therapy application may also focus on posture awareness to normalize cervical range to cervical neutral posture to decrease the risk of aspiration. The application of Occupational Therapy for patients who have experienced a stroke aims to improve functional activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing and self-feeding. Focusing on improving fine motor coordination and increasing strength and range of motion of upper extremities, the Occupational Therapist works closely with each individual to regain the ability to carry out learned purposeful movements. Depending on the area of the brain affected by the stroke, some individuals may experience cognitive and speech impairments. Aphasia, the inability to comprehend or formulate language, and dysarthria, weakness in the muscles used for speech, can be two challenges that stroke survivors face. Application of Speech Therapy works to improve these functions along with strengthening specific muscles to improve dysphasia, difficulty with swallowing foods/liquids, to prevent the risk of aspiration.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that leads to tremors and mobility impairment that can include difficulty walking, balance, and overall coordination. Implementing physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy as early as possible after diagnosis can help to delay the progression of symptoms and make living with Parkinson’s Disease more manageable. Our Physical Therapist provides LSVT BIG training, which is a specialized one-on-one exercise treatment program specifically designed to help those living with Parkinson’s Disease. The application of LSVT BIG therapy helps to improve large movements, functional mobility and motor coordination and therefore decreases the risk of falling. Increasing strength helps to stabilize the joints. Gait training exercises are also used to help improve a client’s ability to stand and walk, with or without an adaptive device. Our innovative boxing program helps those with Parkinson’s to improve target coordination, cognition of recall punches and kick exercises to improve base of support. Occupational therapy supports individuals with Parkinson’s Disease by improving fine motor coordination of the upper extremities to allow for continuation of daily activities like dressing, buttoning and zipping clothing. Speech therapy addresses cognitive and speech impairments related to dysarthria, weakness in the muscles used for speech which causes slurred or slow speech. Improved voice production and volume as well as strengthening of specific muscles to improve dysphasia, or difficulty swallowing, can also be achieved through speech therapy.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses over time. Early detection and implementing treatments including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy can help to reduce the symptoms of ALS. Our Physical Therapist works closely with each client on exercises that maximize existing capabilities and decelerate loss of functional mobility. Physical therapy can also aid in the management of pain related to stiffness of joints. Our Occupational Therapist works with individuals and their caregivers to assess the need for adaptive equipment with the goal of maximizing independence with activities of daily living. ALS can also cause weakening of speech muscles, resulting in slow or slurred speech, also referred to as dysarthria. Speech therapy uses exercises to prolong speech as long as possible by maintaining strength of existing muscles. As ALS in our clients progress, our Speech Therapist will continue to assessments for the need of augmented communication devices to assist in their ability to communicate.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease typically affects individuals over the age of 65, though a small percentage of cases experience symptoms at an earlier age. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disorder where memory, cognitive skills and normal behavior are affected and deteriorate over time. Understanding how different modalities of therapy can support individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease helps these clients improve their quality of life. Physical Therapy addresses the challenges faced by those with Alzheimer’s, working to strengthen muscle memory to support functional mobility, motor coordination and improve balance with changing environment for muscle recruitment. Our Physical Therapist also works with caregivers to properly educate them for safety of bed, chair and wheelchair transfers at end stages of Alzheimer’s. Individuals living with Alzheimer’s often experience deteriorating speech and language abilities over time. Occupational Therapists focus on a patient’s ability to continue to perform activities of daily living independently through repetition. Speech Therapy is proven to be an effective approach to improving speed and language impairments as well as maintaining cognitive function such as memory, attention to tasks and the ability to think and have conversations.
Brain Injury
Neurological Therapy addresses a wide range of disorders, diseases and injuries that affect the brain and nervous system, resulting in impaired movement and cognitive function. While the causes of Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM), Brain Aneurysms, Brain Tumors and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are not linked, application of rehabilitative therapy can be very similar. Physical Therapy works to strengthen muscles for joint stabilization, normalize posture and improve motor coordination for functional mobility. Our Physical Therapist also works closely with our clients and caregivers to enhance safety awareness and decrease the risk of falling. Occupational Therapy addresses fine motor skills to improve the strength of elbow, wrist and hands to maintain and improve activities of daily living. Speech impairments (difficulty with clarity of speech) and language impairments (listening and reading comprehension along with verbal and written expression) often accompany brain injuries and brain disorders. Speech therapy is considered a critical approach to treating speech and language impairments as well as associated cognitive difficulties such as memory, attention to task, processing information and having conversations.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis can vary greatly from person to person and can cause problems with muscle control, balance, vision and other body functions. Physical therapy benefits individuals with MS by helping improve their balance and decreasing fatigue by increasing muscular endurance. Physical therapy can also help to decrease pain and improve strength for joint stabilization and muscle activation for functional mobility. Occupational Therapists treat the challenges faced by individuals with MS by helping them maintain the dexterity it takes to perform tasks such as getting dressed, brushing their teeth and self-feeding.
Spinal Cord Injury
Falls, traffic accidents and recreational diving contribute to the majority of spinal cord injuries. Physical Therapy is considered a critical modality of treatment following a spinal cord injury. By strengthening muscles, functional mobility improves along with stability of joints. Depending on the level of the injury, physical therapy can help to improve static and dynamic sitting/standing balance as well as to help normalize posture to reduce posture abnormalities. Our Occupational Therapist works with our clients and their caretakers to assess activities of daily living, monitor and support fine motor skills and make recommendations for adaptive equipment if needed to maximize the individual’s independence.
Post-Polio Syndrome
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects polio survivors many years after recovery from an initial attack of the poliomyelitis virus. The most common symptoms include slowly progressive muscle weakness, fatigue (both general and muscular), and a decrease in muscle size (muscular atrophy). Pain from joint deterioration and increasing skeletal deformities such as scoliosis are common. Some individuals experience only minor symptoms, while others develop more visible muscle weakness and atrophy. Exercise should be carefully monitored by a physical therapist to assure proper exercises are performed to limit atrophy and fatigue but continue to maintain and/or build strength to continue to be independent with functional mobility.
Cerebral Palsy
Individuals with cerebral palsy suffer brain damage caused by a brain injury or abnormal development of the brain that occurs while a child’s brain is still developing — before birth, during birth, or immediately after birth. Cerebral Palsy primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination. An individual with Cerebral Palsy will likely show signs of physical impairment. However, the type of movement dysfunction, the location and number of limbs involved, as well as the extent of impairment, will vary from one individual to another. It can affect arms, legs, and even the face; it can affect one limb, several, or all. Cerebral Palsy affects muscles and a person’s ability to control them. Muscles can contract too much, too little, or all at the same time. Arms and legs can be stiff and forced into painful, awkward positions. Balance, posture, and coordination can also be affected by Cerebral Palsy. Tasks such as walking, sitting, or tying shoes may be difficult for some, while others might have difficulty grasping objects affecting self feeding. Individuals over the age of 21 should continue with physical and occupational therapy to decrease risk of contractures and loss of activities of daily living. If you wish to learn more about Cerebral Palsy click here.