Rehabilitation Services

Occupational Therapy Services

• Activities of daily living
• Splinting
• Cognitive Retraining
• Adaptive Equipment
• Hand Rehabilitation
• Driving Assessments
• Sensory Integration
• Vision Retraining
• Arthritis
• Sprains/Strains
• Bursitis/Tendonitis
• Fractures
• Post Cerebrovascular Accident
• Cerebral Palsy
• Developmental Delay
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Range of Motion
• Strengthening

Appointments are accepted Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m., or by special arrangement. Call 507-831-0634 to schedule an appointment.

LSVT® BIG Program

Patients with Parkinson’s Disease have a non-prescription option for treatment of the neurological disorder. Three therapists at Windom Area Health are certified in the LSVT® BIG program, a series of treatments focused on increasing the quality of life in patients.

The program consists of therapy targeted at increasing the amplitude of limb and body movement, along with improvement in joint range of motion, in people with Parkinson disease. Patients going through the program have seen improvements in upper and lower limb speed, balance and overall quality of life.

The treatment is administered in 16 sessions over a single month (four individual 60 minute sessions per week). This protocol was developed specifically to address the unique movement impairments for people with Parkinson disease. The protocol consists of many repetitions of core movements that are used in daily living. This type of practice is necessary to optimize learning and basically retrain the brain.

Our therapists had to attend two full-day LSVT Training and Certification Workshop in their respective discipline before becoming certified to deliver the LSVT research-based treatments to patients.

Laridee Herding, one of the trained therapists notes, “We are already working with two patients in the program and one just said to me today that she is seeing positive changes in every aspect of her life, and she just completed week two. She noted that even beyond physical improvement, she is experiencing more mental clarity and energy for daily living. This is going to be a great program for patients at any stage of Parkinson’s.”

Progressive neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease impair speech, swallowing, limb function, gait, balance, and activities of daily living. Roughly one million American’s live with Parkinson’s, which does not have a cure nor a specific cause.

Check out the Videos tab on our page to watch videos about our program. Also, you can call the rehab department to find out more at 507-831-0634.

LSVT® LOUD Program

The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) BIG and LOUD programs were created for patients with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions.
Windom Area Health is one of the only hospitals in the area to offer both programs BIG and LOUD together. The LSVT® Programs have been developed and scientifically researched over the past 20 years with funding from the National Institutes of Health.

LSVT LOUD is a speech treatment that helps boost vocal volume using exercises that stimulate the voice box muscles. In addition to being a treatment for Parkinson's patients, LSVT LOUD may help with disordered articulation, diminished facial expression, and impaired swallowing. LSVT LOUD teaches you how to use a louder voice automatically in daily communication with long-term carryover. Call the rehab department to find out more at 507-831-0634.

Sensory Integration Therapy

Our brains are constantly making sense of the world we live in. But, when our brain has trouble receiving and responding to information from our senses, it makes certain daily activities difficult. When this happens, it is known as a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and may affect all senses (hearing, taste, smell, touch or sight). SPD is often identified in children, but adults may be affected as well. This disorder is often present in people with a developmental condition, like autism spectrum disorder.

People with SPD may:

• have a hard time engaging in conversation or play
• be uncoordinated
• tire easily and may not always be alert
• have trouble writing or using utensils
• have poor body awareness

Treatment of SPD

First you must receive a referral from your physician to receive care with our Occupational Therapist at Windom Area Health. Next, our Occupational Therapist will evaluate deficits or behaviors you or your child are demonstrating. After the evaluation, the therapist will customize a treatment plan to help make functional gains in you or your child’s life.

Talk with your physician today about getting Sensory Integration Therapy at the Windom Area Health Rehabilitation Department. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 507-831-0634.

We now offer Telehealth appointments as an option for therapy patients!  We understand that not everyone is comfortable leaving their homes for appointments during this time and we are excited to be able to provide virtual appointments for certain diagnoses.  This is possible for all therapy disciplines that are offered at Windom Area Health (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy).  These virtual appointments are available for new and current patients and the software used is HIPAA Compliant to ensure your privacy.

• Telehealth will not be appropriate or possible for all diagnoses/conditions – it will be approved on a case by case basis.
  • Some conditions may require a hybrid of in-person appointments and virtual appointments.
• Patient must initiate and consent to being treated via Telehealth. Please discuss this with your Rehabilitation Services therapist.
• Patients must have a MyChart account set up.
  • All Windom Area Health and Sanford Health patients are able to sign up for a MyChart account.
  • To sign up, click the following link and follow prompts under ‘Get Access Here:’ https://www.mysanfordchart.org/MyChart/
• Telehealth for Rehabilitation Services is not a permanent service and in-person visits will be required once again after COVID-19 has been addressed.

Below is a downloadable Patient Instructions document (PDF) to help our patients through the process of attending a Virtual Telehealth appointment:

Download (PDF)

Cupping Therapy

What is cupping and how can it help?

Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist places special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction. The cups can be made from a variety of different materials including glass, ceramic, silicone, bamboo, and plastic. The cups are applied to various areas of the body providing a negative pressure (suction) between the skin and the underlying tissues.  It can be used for a variety of purposes including:

• Pain reduction
• Inflammation reduction
• Improved blood flow
• Break up scar tissue
• Facilitates tissue healing following injury
• Improved lymphatic drainage
• Improved relaxation and well being

Cupping is best utilized when done in conjunction with other therapeutic interventions such as active range of motion, passive range of motion, strengthening, and other manual therapy techniques.  A common side effect from cupping is the circular “bruising” created from the suction.  It may last a couple of hours to a couple of days.

To learn more about cupping and what the therapists at Windom Area Health – Rehabilitation Department can do to assist you with optimizing your best self, call 507-831-0634 and make your appointment now!

Dry Needling

Could dry needling be the next step in your recovery?

The Windom Area Health Rehabilitation Services Department is now offering Trigger-Point Dry Needling as a treatment option for neuro-muscular pain. Laridee Herding, a licensed physical therapist uses microfilament needles to relax the trigger points of your chronic or acute pain.

What is Dry Needling?

• Dry needling is a procedure that uses thin, sterile filament needle inserted into a trigger point to simulate recovery response in the muscle. Trigger points are knots that develop in the muscle when there is injury or fatigue.
• Designed for physical therapy patients that have chronic or acute pain as a treatment option.
• A licensed physical therapist, certified in dry needling will conduct the procedure. Treatments take 30-45 minutes.
• A physician referral is required.
• May be covered by your insurance.

Call for an appointment today! 507-831-0634

Physical Therapy Services

Appointments are accepted Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (and by special arrangement). Call 507-831-0634 to schedule an appointment.

Orthopedic:

• Total Joint Replacement
• Arthritis
• Ligament Sprain
• Bursitis/Fasciitis/Tendonitis
• Prosthetics
• Fractures
• Back Pain

Neurological:

• Cerebrovascular Accident
• Cerebral Palsy
• Developmental Delay
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Vestibular Rehabilitation

Functional:

• Strengthening
• Range of Motion

Preventive:

• Posture Principle Training
• Body/Lifting Mechanics Training
• Worksite Ergonomics Evaluation

Other Services:

• Power & Acceleration Program
• High School Athletic Screens
• Impact (Concussion) Testing
• Work Hardening
• Cupping Therapy
• Dry Needling
• Solo Step
• LSVT BIG Parkinson's Program

Senior Driving Program

What is the Senior Driving Program?

The Senior Driving program is an evaluation performed on any individual identified as a potential driving risk. A comprehensive, individualized rehab program may be developed for identified deficits.

What can I expect?

Several physical and cognitive evaluations will be performed including: active range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, vision, problem-solving, impulse control, memory and reaction time.

How does it work?

The evaluation takes about 11/2 hours. Our occupational therapist will then analyze the test results. Recommendations will then be provided to the patient and referring provider. The physician then has objective information in which to make a decision. Additional therapy may be ordered at that time to work on any identified deficits.

For Every Stage

Our Senior Driving Program was developed with our senior population in mind, but is appropriate for any individual identified as a potential driving risk.

Insurance Coverage?

A referral with the corresponding diagnosis will be required in order for the Driving Assessment to be covered by insurance. The Driving Assessment will be covered the same as any other occupational therapy order.

Questions?

For questions about our Senior Driving Program please contact our Rehabilitation Department at 507-831-0634.

Senior Driving Program Brochure (PDF)

Solo Step System

The Solo Step system, overhead track and harness, allows our therapists to work one on one with each patient. Patients are secured in the harness, which is connected to a lanyard and trolley, allowing full range of motion during therapy. This confidence enables our patient to regain strength and balance at a faster rate allowing them to push themselves through rehab quicker.

Who Uses the Solo Step?

Patient types that have seen dramatic improvements by using the Solo Step system:

• Dizziness
• Balance Issues
• Weakness
• Amputees
• Parkinson's
• Paralysis
• Stroke
• Traumatic Injuries
• Head Injury
• Muscle Control

What are the Benefits?

• Allows for a safe patient and therapist environment
• Eliminates the risk of falling during rehab
• Increases your confidence
• Speeds up recovery time
• Restores normal movement and function
• Improves balance and coordination
• Increases range of motion

For more information, call our Rehabilitation Department at 507-831-0634.

Vestibular Therapy Services

Vestibular Disorders

Do you have problems with dizziness? When you lay down in bed or roll over quickly does your whole world spin? When you walk, do you weave from side to side or feel like you are walking on a boat? These symptoms may be a sign of an underlying vestibular disorder.

Vestibular disorders can cause a variety of symptoms including dizziness (vertigo), unsteadiness (disequilibrium), nausea, sweating, increased heart rate and increased respirations. Due to the dizziness and unsteadiness, fear of falling is a major issue, which further more decreases levels of activity and increases social isolation.

There are three main types of vestibular disorders: benign positional vertigo (BPV), unilateral vestibular loss/weakness (UVL), and bilateral vestibular loss/weakness (BVL). BPV generally produces a sense of dizziness or spinning when a person’s head is placed in a provoking position. These positions usually include lying down, rolling over in bed, bending over and/or looking up. When the head is placed in certain positions, tiny pieces of free-floating crystals in the inner ear move and produce dizziness. During therapy, the patient’s head is moved through a series of positions designed to move the crystals into a portion of the inner ear where they will no longer cause any symptoms.

Unilateral vestibular loss or weakness usually causes a sense of unsteadiness or disequilibrium due to decreased input from the inner ear on one side. This perceived inequality give the sensation of being off balance. Physical therapy can be effective in prescribing individualized exercises to help the patient accommodate and eventually decrease the perception of disequilibrium.

Bilateral vestibular loss or weakness may or may not cause problems. If the loss is equal bilaterally, there will not be any abnormal sense of movement, however balance problems may still be an issue. Compensatory strategies and balance exercises are the treatment of choice for this particular problem. If the loss is not equal bilaterally, the symptoms will be similar to that of UVL and treated with individualized exercises and compensatory strategies.

Dizziness and imbalance do not have to be a part of daily life. Windom Area Health’s Physical Therapy Department can improve your quality of life. Contact your primary care provider today for a referral. For more information, contact Windom Area Health's Physical Therapy Department at 507-831-0634.