Orthopedic Rehabilitation
Our orthopedic team is comprised of an experienced team of professionals led by a physiatrist and provides comprehensive orthopedic physical rehabilitation. Diagnoses range from fractures and dislocations to nerve damage and are usually the result of a fall, sudden injury, planned orthopedic surgery, or age. The areas on the body most commonly affected include the neck, shoulder, arm, hand, spine, hip, knee, foot, and leg. Other orthopedic rehab team members include physical therapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation nurses, and a case manager to oversee the patient’s progress from admission to discharge.
The overall goal of our orthopedic program is to prepare the patient for transitioning back home and into the community. Accordingly, a number of objectives are established based on the patient’s individual needs.
These might include:
- Gait training
- Stair climbing (if indicated)
- Transfer training
- Joint management
- Nutritional support
- Proper body mechanics
- Muscle strengthening and endurance
- Fall safety
- Dressing, bathing, toileting
- Operating a vehicle
The rehab team closely monitors several areas of concern for orthopedic injuries including proper skin care for the surgery site. For orthopedic operations that require a substantial range of motion therapy, such as knee or hip replacement rehab, the team works to strengthen the surrounding muscles to improve movement and stability and addresses ambulatory and lifestyle issues affected by the injury or surgery based on the patient’s individual needs. Patients and their families are taught how to compensate for the injury and how to attain maximum independence by managing the activities of daily life.