Today we attended an open house at Tripler Army Medical Center in celebration of Physical Therapy Month. Stations were set up in the PT Department with personnel to explain pieces of equipment, PT approaches, expected results. We learned many new facts about PT, it was eye opening to us.
Open house included students and an instructor from Wainai High School health careers program. This member of the Physical Therapy Department mentors young people with enthusiasm.
Before it was cut, the cake was really pretty. And it was chocolate!
Electrical stimulation is used in a variety of therapies. My first hand experience was with re-education of muscles after a traditional total knee replacement. Another use of electricity is to encourage distribution of medication (never thought of that one). At this station we also learned the value of applying ice and the mechanics of traction.
This exercise is to improve a person's balance after an injury or surgery. Stand on one leg and throw a ball at a small trampoline then catch it. Once this task is accomplished with confidence a small flexible blue pad is put down. As seen in this photo, you then try and balance on the pad on one foot while repeating the toss and catch. No so easy. This is part of the therapy for a total knee replacement -- I can attest to that. But this exercise is used in a wide variety of applications.
Although much of the equipment can be found in a gym, when in use as therapy professionals are always present to guide a patient to a specific accomplishment. Each goal is appropriate to a therapy plan written just for them. Here a stepper machine is described as a cardio/warm up to get the blood circulating before moving on to other exercises.
This photo looks like a standard treadmill. We learned that different muscle groups can be put to work depending upon how a person is walking. If you walk backward it uses the same muscles that are called to walk uphill. Walking can also be in a forward or sideward position. Who knew?
The white frame over this walker allows attachment of a harness. If a person in recovery cannot support their own weight but would benefit from doing some walking the frame/harness is used to lighten the stress on the person's body. I got to see this one in use and it is neat!
I never heard of a medicine ball except maybe in a movie. Here we learned some of the many therapeutic uses for a medicine ball. They come in different sizes, weights and colors. Each one has a handle! Never knew that either.
Don't remember the name of this equipment but it appears to be for upper body therapy.
Quadricep muscles? The ones on the front of the thighs I think.
This one is used for recovery of total knee replacement among other things. It can be used with two legs or just one. This was called the hamstring curl.
Did not get to hear the briefing on this piece. But this fella is doing a great job of demonstrating it!
Learned so much from this talk. It was about pelvic floor therapy. Never heard of this before but know lots more now. It can help people after surgery, a traumatic accident, child birth for women, incontinence etc.
Plantar fascitius. I have met a significant number of people with this foot problem. They get something called an orthotic and put in in their shoe(s). This was a demonstration of how a custom fit piece is made for someone with this problem.
This photo shows a person being fitted with a piece of material that will mold into the shape of the foot. The material is first put into a warm water bath to make it supple.
The material is trimmed to fit comfortably in whatever foot gear the person wears. It is a matter of trim and try and trim and try. We learned that once the orthotic is put into the shoe/boot it is worn for 7-14 days (not forever as I previously thought). In the case of a stubborn recovery the longest would be 28-30 days. I can't pretend I understand the medical part but it has something to do with scar tissue formation and breakdown.
The last step, of course, is putting the orthotic into place.
