Physical
therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession that helps
people to restore normal functioning, improve their mobility
and achieve a greater degree of independence.
Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapist
Assistants (PTAs) are health care professionals
who evaluate and/or treat all ages of people with health
problems resulting from injury or disease.
They are highly skilled, trained professionals that are
important members of the health care team. Their job involves
working closely with physicians, nurses, and other specialists.
Kanabec Hospital Physical Therapy currently has 7 PTs
and 4 PTAs on staff ready to serve your needs. Services
are offered Monday-Friday.
Physical therapy services available:
›Evaluation and assessment
›Custom Foot Orthotics
›Custom Compression Garments
›Diabetic Foot Screenings
›Wound Management
›Lymphedema Treatment See
article below >
›Urinary Incontinence Treatment
›Exercise Program Development
›Balance and Mobility Training
›Posture and Body Mechanics Education
›Soft Tissue Mobilization
›Pain Management
›Manual Therapy Techniques to improve mobility or
alignment
›Pediatric evaluation and treatment
There’s
hope for swollen arms and legs
People with swollen arms or legs may not
realize there is specific medical help available.
The Physical Therapy department at Kanabec Hospital offers
a special program called Lymphedema Therapy.
Swelling may be due
to cancer treatment, an injury or surgery, or have an unknown
cause. Swelling of an arm or leg may be painful
and disabling or at least inconvenient because it makes
it difficult to fit into clothes or shoes. At worst,
it increases the risk of a life-threatening attack of cellulitis,
which can cause a person to be hospitalized.
In the past, before
therapists were trained in Lymphedema Therapy, people with
swelling were treated with diuretics, compression pumps
and elastic stockings. Unfortunately, people with
lymphedema are not helped by these measures.
New understanding of the dynamics of lymphedema,
has allowed trained physical therapists to successfully
treat many patients with painful swelling. Once the
swelling and pain has been reduced, most patients are able
to wear special compression stockings to keep the swelling
down permanently.
Physical Therapist Kitty Losinger has received
special training in the Lymphedema Therapy treatment techniques
and has over 5 years of successful experience treating patients
with lymphedema or other kinds of swelling. Her training
included 8 days at the Lymphedema Center of Cedar Haven
in West Bend, Wisconsin, where she earned recognition as
a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT). Losinger has also
completed about 100 hours of additional training and has
passed a national certification test by the Lymphology Association
of North America (LANA). Currently, two additional therapists
are in training for the same certifications.
If you feel you could
benefit from Lymphedema Therapy, the first step is to talk
with your doctor. Only your physician can refer you
for this type of therapy.