Physical Therapy Services

Total Joint Rehabilitation

Patients who have undergone a total joint replacement either at St. Francis Memorial Hospital or off site should expect excellent care by our team of trained staff. The rehabilitation staff will work closely with you and your physician in understanding and meeting your goals throughout your entire rehabilitation process.

SPORTSMETRICS

SPORTSMETRICS is a program developed by the Cincinnati Sports Medicine Research / Education Foundation. This program is designed to identify athletes who are at risk for developing knee injuries, specifically the ACL. Once at risk athletes are identified, a 6 week program is established to improve jumping/landing mechanics, coordination, strength, agility, and flexibility.

Sports Enhancement Program

St. Francis Rehabilitation offers a 6 week camp for high school aged athletes. The camp meets three days a week for 1 1/2 hours during the summer months.

Camp Goals include:

  1. Help athletes reach their full potential.
  2. Reduce the number of injuries athletes incur.
  3. Educate athletes on all aspects of conditioning.

The camp focuses on improving flexibility, agility, quickness, speed and strength.

Athletes are tested objectively prior to and at the conclusion of the camp. Activities tested include:

  1. Vertical jump
  2. 5-10-5 pro agility run
  3. 40 yard dash
  4. Sit and reach
  5. 10 yard dash
  6. Standing long jump

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones " and is characterized by a loss of bone density and increased risk of fractures. In the U.S., 25 million people have osteoporosis, affecting 50% of women over 50 and 1 of 8 men over 50.

Physical Therapists at St. Francis Memorial Hospital / Wimmer Rehabilitation Center have initiated a program for patients diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia. Goals of this program include improving posture, upper and lower extremity as well as core strength and stability, mobility, function and balance. We also place emphasis on initiating a generalized wellness and walking program. The therapist will develop and individualized program appropriate for you and your specific needs.

Urinary Incontinence

Incontinence can be difficult to discuss as well as endure. Patients who suffer from urinary incontinence or lack of bladder control are not alone. Men as well as women, of all ages are affected. Those affected can include athletic women, new mothers, someone suffering from illness, birth defect or other physical trauma. Expectant and new mothers are issued exercises to improve pelvic floor strength and ward off incontinence.

There are 4 basic types of Incontinence:

  • Stress Incontinence: Urine leakage during times of stress such as coughing, sneezing, exercise and laughing.
  • Urge Incontinence: The urgent need to urinate and inability to make it to the restroom in time.
  • Mixed Incontinence: Symptoms of stress and urge incontinence are present.
  • Overflow Incontinence: Leakage that occurs when the amount of urine produced exceeds the bladder capacity.

Evaluation:

Your physical therapist will evaluate your pelvic floor. An individualized treatment program will be developed based on the evaluation findings and may include:

  • Assessment of strength and coordination of the pelvic floor muscles.
  • Accessory muscle ROM / strength will also be assessed to determine the compensation of these muscles in masking pelvic floor weakness.
  • Education regarding your pelvic floor dysfunction
  • Assessment of other musculoskeletal issues may be performed as well.

Treatment:

Pelvic muscle rehabilitation involves neuromuscular re-education of the pelvic floor musculature to aid in regaining pelvic floor strength. Your rehabilitation may utilize: modalities, therapeutic exercises for pelvic floor accessory muscles, surface EMG (electromyography) which provides visual and auditory feedback to aid in proper contractions of the pelvic floor muscles, and behavior modification. In some cases, incontinence may require methods outside the realm of PT, including medication or surgery. Your physical therapist will work closely with your physician to determine which treatment is most appropriate for you.