Rehabilitation Services

Our team of Physical Therapy clinicians share the common goal of restoring patients to their previous level of functioning, activity, and independence.

Utilizing advanced techniques and equipment, our staff provides highly individualized programs including therapy, exercise and education to speed the natural healing process and help prevent re-injury. The Rehabilitation Departments treats a wide variety of diagnoses including but not limited to:

• Aphasia
• Alaryngeal Speech Training (for laryngectomees)
• Amputations
• Arthritis
• Back, neck and extremity dysfunction
• CVA
• Dysarthria
• Dysphonia (Voice dysfunction)
• Feeding/oral motor treament
• Fibromyalgia
• Hand and upper extremity injuries
• Incontinence
• Lymphedema
• Multiple sclerosis and neurological rehabilitation diagnoses
• Neurological disorders (CVA/multiple sclerosis/head injury/Parkinson's Disease)
• Orthopedic rehabilitation diagnoses
• Osteoporosis
• Paradoxical Vocal Cord Dysfunction (PVCD)
• Pediatric diagnosis
• Pulmonary dysfunction
• Scoliosis Treatment
• Tortoicolis Treatment
• Voice/fluency treatment
• Vestibular disorders

Several specialty programs and services have been established to better meet the specific rehabilitation needs of our patients as detailed below:

Aquatic Therapy
Aquatic Therapy is a form of physical therapy where water is used as a therapeutic medium. The water offers buoyancy for those who have difficulty walking, resistance for those seeking an aggressive strengthening program or relief to those with painful joints. Water also has a relaxing effect that allows for more effective stretching of soft tissue structures.

In order to participate in Aquatic Therapy, patients do not need to be swimmers. To ensure safety, flotation devices are available as appropriate and all clinicians have participated in water safety training. Therapy is performed in one of our two therapeutic pools with average temperature readings of 86 degrees and 92 degrees. A therapy program may include:

Please call 508-271-2004 for additional information.

Balance and Falls Prevention Program
1 in 4 people over the age of 65 who live at home will fall during the next year. Participation in this program can determine your risk for falls and help you decrease this risk through:

• Assistive device training if needed
• Balance retraining
• Conditioning
• Functional retraining to reduce your risk of falls during daily activities
• Home modification education
• Strengthening
• Stretching

 
Incontinence Program
This program is intended for women who experience urinary or bowel incontinence. The program includes:

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation is a service that coordinates education and exercise to treat patients who have been diagnosed with a lung condition.   In our program, patients learn to control their symptoms through instruction in breathing techniques, energy conservation techniques and pacing for self care and everyday activities.   They also participate in exercise sessions, which are supervised by a licensed, skilled and experienced physical therapist.   One and quarter hours are dedicated to each patient.   Our patients’ heart rate and oxygen saturation levels are monitored with an oximeter throughout the treatment session.   Each patient goes home with an individualized home exercise program.   After our patients complete our pulmonary program, they are able to participate in more activities with less shortness of breath.

The pulmonary rehabilitation service treats patients who have been diagnosed with a lung condition using exercises and education. The goal is to help improve functional independence and to help patients have a better understanding of their lung condition.

Patients are evaluated by a Physical Therapist and an individualized exercise program is established within the patient's tolerance. Patients are seen 3 times per week for approximately one hour each time for 4 weeks.

Following discharge from the outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, patients are encouraged to participate in a self paced maintenance program. This program meets 2 times per week. Patients exercises using the same equipment.
For more information, call 508-650-7667 (Natick only)

Spinal Dysfunction
A comprehensive evaluation and treatment program for the client with acute or chronic back pain is offered. Each client's individual physical and psychological needs are considered in establishing an appropriate treatment plan. The physical therapy staff have advanced training in:

A comprehensive evaluation, including a modified barium swallow if indicated, can be performed for patients who are experiencing dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing.

Swallowing is an extremely complex process involving the coordination of muscle groups that move the lips, tongue, palate, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. An assessment of the different structures and phases of swallowing is completed by a speech and language pathologist.

Further treatment to improve or redefine a patient's ability to safely manage a variety of food can be undertaken. Swallowing difficulties can happen in all age groups from infants to adults and can occur as a result of a variety of medical conditions.

Speech Therapists work with patients and their families, first and foremost, to ensure safe swallowing to minimize the risk of aspiration.

Ca ll Framingham 508 383-1070 or Natick 508 650-7252 .

The primary goal of therapy is to return injured athletes to their pre-injury activity level. Communication with coaches, family members, trainers and teachers may be part of the rehab process.

For more information, call 508-271-2078

Vestibular Rehabilitation
“Dizziness” can be described as a sense of spinning and lightheadedness that causes imbalance and unsteadiness, and occasionally, nausea.   Vestibular therapy is an exercise-based approach for vestibular deficits.   With time and dedication, therapy will teach you how to gain control of your balance system and, in many cases will:

• Decrease or eliminate dizziness
• Improve balance function
• Improve overall activity level

For more information, call 508-650-7252

Voice Disorders

Most voice disorders are related to misuse and abuse of the voice and disorders can be functional and organic. Voice therapy, performed by a Speech therapist, focuses on returning the patient's voice to a realistic and satisfactory level based on the patient's occupational, social, anatomic and physiological capabilities.

In therapy, an individual treatment program is designed to identify and eliminate possible misuses of respiration, phonation, resonance and articulation. Therapists would treat a variety of disorders of the vocal cords such as:

• Vocal nodules
• Polyps
• Cancer
• Endocrine changes
• Dyphonia
• Larngectomy

Neuological Disorders such as:

• CVA
• Parkinsons Disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Cerebral Palsy

After head and/or neck surgery. Therapy might include:

• Improving posture
• Education and counseling
• Improving breath support and airflow
• Reducing musculoskeletal tension
• Improving speech rate
• Improving vocal endurance

For more information, call Framingham 508-383-1070 or Natick 508-650-7252