October is Physical Therapy Month!

October is National Physical Therapy Month, and Bethesda is proud to serve the community with outpatient therapy programs in Willmar and now in New London at Bethesda North Pointe. Bethesda Outpatient Therapy proudly provides the best in physical, occupational, and speech therapy for all ages and all recovery needs for those within Bethesda’s system of care and our community at large.

The philosophy of care at Bethesda ensures that each patient is met with kindness, compassion, and the best in clinical experience to help ensure that recovery is not only successful but fun.  Each patient’s personalized physical therapy program is designed to foster growth and recovery for those with medical conditions, illnesses, or injuries that limit movement.

Our program director, Dennis Eickhoff, PT, is an orthopedic specialist and is certified in Postural Restoration.  His approach to therapy care recognizes imbalances and typical patterns within the skeletal system associated with postural asymmetries and helps to correct the corresponding weakness.  This is best used for the treatment of chronic back, hip, or knee pain and following orthopedic surgeries.

“We have such a great team at Bethesda and are really able to address whatever needs the patients have,” said Eickhoff.  “Whether we are treating a sports-related injury in a teenager or an overuse injury in a grandparent, we have highly trained therapists to address the specific orthopedic or neurological deficits of the entire Willmar and New London communities.”

Are you curious if physical therapy would benefit you?  Physical therapy has many benefits, including:

Recovering from Orthopedic Surgery – following surgery, it is usually recommended that patients receive physical therapy to help regain range of motion, strength, decrease their pain, and improve mobility.  Bethesda Therapy is well-equipped to address all of your post-operative needs, whether it be following a knee or hip replacement, rotator cuff surgery, or even spinal surgery.

Reducing or eliminating pain – whether acute or chronic pain, the therapists at Bethesda are well-trained to use a variety of manual techniques, stretches, and modalities including ultrasound or electrical stimulation to address pain.  Physical therapy can help improve mobility, decrease stiffness, or correct skeletal or muscular imbalances that may be causing your pain.

Improved mobility – physical therapy improves the ability to walk and complete functional mobility such as bed mobility and transfers.  As you regain movement and independence, you can continue or start the activities that you love to do such as playing with grandchildren, going for walks with your spouse, or even improving your golf game.

Prevent injuries – physical therapy is often thought of as a place to go to recover from injuries.  But therapists are also well-trained and capable of working with patients on the prevention of injuries.  Whether you are just being proactive or are trying to avoid another injury, PT can help.

Improve balance and prevent falls – Physical therapists will evaluate systems within the body that may help treat balance problems, including muscles and joints, the inner ear, position awareness in joints, and circulation.  Whether your falls are related to a strength deficit or a vestibular problem, the therapists at Bethesda Therapy will help create a customized plan to help address your specific needs to improve your balance and safe mobility, which can help prevent falls.

Avoiding injuries – the scope of benefits from therapy is quite comprehensive and can alleviate issues before getting to the point of surgery.  Therapy can help with removing stress from joints, improving muscle strength or range of motion, and improving spinal stabilization, which can all serve to help prevent surgical intervention.

Bethesda offers several different outpatient therapy services, including:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Warm-water pool therapy

Improve your health and wellbeing with our physical therapy.
Contact our office at (320) 214-5619 to schedule a consultation to get back to enjoying life.

These therapy services are open to the general public.