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D-4 - Cody Progress Edition - Thursday, March 19, 2015
W
est Park Hospital is
the only therapy pro-
vider in Cody that
offers physical, occupational
and speech rehabilitation un-
der one roof.
They have the ability to
provide one-on-one patient
treatments, and are able
to provide therapy services
across the continuum of
care – inpatient, long-term
care, home health and out-
patient.
T h e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n
department at West Park
Hospital has four physical,
two occupational and one
speech therapist. There’s
also one physical therapy
assistant.
“Our c l ini c i ans have
advanced training and dif-
ferent backgrounds,” physi-
cal therapist Jarron Mitch-
ell says. “We are a skilled
and well-rounded team.”
When someone has an
injury, illness or surgery
that affects their ability
to use their body, physical
therapy can help.
Physical therapists are
experts in the movement
and function of the body.
They help people regain the
physical abilities they need
for day-to-day functioning,
working or participating in
sports and other activities.
“The o ld j oke i s PT
stands for pain and tor-
ture,” Mitchell says. “But
we are in the business of
making people feel bet-
ter. Our treatments should
help them have less pain
and allow them to perform
the activities they enjoy. We
try to put patients at ease
because we’re here to help.”
Therapy uses methods
such as massage, exercise,
cold, heat, light, water and
electric currents, to improve
circulation, strengthen mus-
cles and restore mobility.
Common reasons f or
physical therapy include:
•Low back pain.
•Neck pain.
•Joint replacements.
•Balance problems/falls
prevention
•Muscle strains and soft
tissue sprains.
•Carpa l tunne l syn-
drome.
•Joint pain/chronic pain.
•A stroke that impairs
movement.
•Arthritis.
•Disabilities in pediat-
rics.
•A heart condition or
event that limits physical
ability.
I n phy s i c a l t he r apy
patients typically have a
one-hour initial evaluation
and then meet with thera-
pists 2-3 times a week for
30-60 minutes Therapy usu-
ally lasts 4-8 weeks depend-
ing on the issue.
Physical therapists work
with people in the rehabili-
tation gym, and also offer a
water aerobics class, which
is easy on the joints and can
increase muscle strength
and endurance due to the
water’s built-in resistance.
A person can exercise longer
in water than on land with-
out the extra effort or the
joint and muscle pain that
often accompanies a regular
exercise routine because of
its low impact.
“The pool is four feet
deep and 25 feet long,”
Mitchell says.
Occupational therapy
focuses on the skills people
need for daily activities,
such as working, dressing,
eating, shopping and get-
ting around.It may be rec-
ommended when an illness,
injury or medical condition
affects a person’s physi-
cal or mental abilities. The
goals of therapy may include
regaining physical skills
after injury, maintaining
these skills despite chronic
disease or learning to adapt
to permanent disability.
Services may include:
•Customized programs to
help people with daily activi-
ties.
•Evaluating the home
or workplace for safety or
health hazards and suggest-
ing changes that make the
environment safer or more
accessible.
•Assessing and treating
problems that affect a per-
son’s ability to be effective
at work.
•Training a person to
use equipment that helps
replace lost bodily functions.
•Educating family and
caretakers about safe and
effective ways to care for
people.
•Teaching exercises to
improve decision-making,
problem-solving, memory
and coordination.
•Designing or making
special equipment to help
people function at home or
work.
Speech therapists spe-
cialize in the evaluation and
treatment of communica-
tion and swallowing disor-
ders. Services begin with
initial screening for com-
munication and swallow-
ing disorders and continue
with assessment, diagnosis
and treatment. The pri-
vate speech therapy room is
located near the rehabilita-
tion gym.
Clinicians in the rehabili-
tation department attend
continuing education annu-
ally to learn new approaches
to better serve clients.
R e c e n t l y, M i t c h e l l
became a certified ASTYM
provider. ASTYM rebuilds
and heals the soft tissue of
the body, helping eliminate
pain and restore movement.
Astym treatment safely and
effectively stimulates scar
tissue to be reasorbed by the
body and regenerates dam-
aged soft tissue.
“ I ’ ve s e en f ant a s t i c
results and patients have
been very satisfied,” he
says. “ASTYM can be effec-
tive even when more tradi-
tional therapy has failed.”
It is highly effective in
treating chronic conditions
such as plantar fascitis,
Achilles tendonitis, rotator
cuff injures, hip bursitis,
hamstring and groin inju-
ries, and post-traumatic/
po s t - sur g i ca l s ca r r i ng .
Treatment lasts 4-6 weeks.
“No one else in the Big
Horn Basin is providing
ASTYM,” he says. “I use
three instruments that
stimulate blood flow and
activate the body’s ability to
heal itself.” The approach is
researched based and that is
one reason I believe it is so
effective, it has been modi-
fied and tested in clinical
trials over and over.
Mitchell will also be tak-
ing a dry needling course in
May.
Dry needling is an effec-
tive therapy to treat muscu-
lar tension and spasm which
commonl y accompani es
conditions such as arthritis,
nerve irritation, muscular
strain, ligament strains and
herniated discs. A needle
is inserted in a contracted,
painful knotted muscle to
create a local twitch reflex
which will decrease muscle
contraction, reduce chemi-
cal irritation, improve flex-
ibility and decrease pain.
“It’s not something that
has been offered here in the
past,” Mitchell says. “We
will begin providing dry
needing this summer.”
Physical therapists also
can help with incontinence
issues.
“ Ou r r e h a b d i r e c -
tion, Michelle Christy has
advanced training in Men’s
and Women’s heath, includ-
ing improv ing incont i -
nence,” Mitchell says.
T h e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n
department is in the base-
ment of West Park Hospi-
tal and is open weekdays, 8
a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.
Jarron Mitchell, a physical therapist at West Park Hospital Rehabilitation, uses a handheld tool as he works with a patient.
Three therapy services offered under one roof
West Park Hospital Rehabilitation staffers include (front, from left) office coordinator Carrie Beuster, PT
Laura Laughlin, PT Michelle Dansie, rehab tech Alex Barthman, (back) PT and director Michelle Christy, OT
Heidi Mayton and PT Jarron Mitchell. (Not pictured are PT Monique Keenan, ST Joani Graham and office
coordinator Lindsey Meehan.)
Michelle Dansie, a physical therapist for West Park Hospital Rehabilitation,
teaches an aquatic therapy class in the pool at the hospital.