Physical Therapy
Why Should I Choose Physical Therapy?
Spencer Hospital’s physical therapists provide care at the hospital for both inpatients and outpatients and also provide outpatient therapy services at Rehab @The Clinic, located on the second floor of the Spencer Medical Arts Building, and at Milford Family Care and Sioux Rapids Family Care. Physical therapy can provide numerous benefits for people experiencing a variety of health concerns, including:
- Orthopedics: Physical Therapists are trained to treat patients experiencing pain and dysfunction from head to toe, including common areas like the neck, low back, shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. PTs also guide post-surgical rehabilitation for procedures such as total joint replacement, spine surgery, rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, as well as following other procedures and hospitalizations.
- Post Stroke and Brain Injury: PTs work closely with patients to help regain balance, strength and muscle use
- Balance and Fall Prevention: Physical therapy can assist patients in improving their balance, decreasing the risk of falls. Therapists also provide tips on how patients can prevent falls and minimize risk of injury if they feel a fall is inevitable.
- Dizziness and Vertigo: PT’s can provide treatment to reduce inner ear imbalances which are the frequent cause of dizziness. Physical therapy can also be effective for managing symptoms following concussion.
- Women’s Health: Physical therapists trained in treating women's health concerns such as incontinence, pelvic pain and post-partum care. Learn more about Physical Therapy Services for Women’s Health.
- Edema and Lymphedema Care: Physical Therapists with specialized training to help reduce swelling of the upper and lower extremities following cancer and injuries, or as a result of disease.
- Aquatic Therapy: Warm water therapy is a treatment option for all ages and conditions. Learn more about aquatic therapy.
- Industrial Rehabilitation: A healthy workforce is a more satisfied and more productive workforce. Learn how Spencer Hospital’s LiveWell program can assist with worksite wellness goals including pre-employment screens, Functional Capacity Evaluation and ergonomic assessments.
- Dry Needling: Dry needling can be used to address and treat any condition which is caused or made worse by restrictions in muscles or soft tissues. These can include neck pain, low back pain, headaches, sciatica, muscle strains, joint pain, overuse injuries like tendonitis, and chronic pain and fibromyalgia. Learn more about Dry Needling.
- Complex and Chronic Pain Treatment - A physical therapist with training and certification in Therapeutic Pain Science can provide comprehensive treatment to address wide-spread, long-standing, complex pain issues, resulting in overall pain reduction and improve function for activities of daily living, return-to-work duties and hobbies. Learn more about Complex and Chronic Pain Treatment.
What Are the Benefits?
Restore and maximize your movement: As the human movement experts, Physical Therapists will diagnose and treat movement problems to allow you to experience your optimal level of independence and function for your home, work, and play.
Involvement in your recovery: Treatment with a Physical Therapist is all about you. The patients’ individual goals and needs are the central focus of our care.
Reduced costs and savings: When used as a first line of treatment, PT can help you save money. For conditions such as low back pain, rotator cuff tears, and knee arthritis, physical therapy has proven to be safer, less expensive, and just as effective as surgeries and medications.
How Do I Schedule PT?
Iowa provides direct access to physical therapy, meaning that a physician referral is not required to see a Physical Therapist. However, most physicians recognize the benefits of Physical Therapy and may refer you for treatment. In either case, the Physical Therapist will communicate with your primary care physician and keep them informed of your care and progress.
Spencer Hospital employs a team of nine Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Assistants to offer our patients convenient scheduling options. To schedule an appointment with a Spencer Hospital Physical Therapist, call Spencer Hospital Rehabilitation Services at 712-264-8300 extension 6189.
How Should I Prepare for My Therapy Session?
After scheduling your initial evaluation, you will need to register through Spencer Hospital Patient Registration. On the day of your evaluation, please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment to complete registration and intake paperwork.
We recommend comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, like you would wear to exercise, for all of your PT visits. Your first visit with the Physical Therapist, an initial evaluation, will take about 1 hour. Following your initial evaluation, treatment sessions typically take between 30-45 minutes and you may see your therapist 1-3 times per week, until you meet your goals.
Education & Certifications
Entry into Physical Therapy programs requires a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for admission. Physical Therapist education programs offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Most programs are 3 years in length and include classroom and clinical education. Following graduation, Physical Therapists must pass a national board exam to become licensed in their state. In Iowa, once a PT is licensed, they must complete annual continuing education to keep their license current.
Physical Therapist Assistants earn an Associate’s degree, requiring two years of education after high school. PTA’s must pass a board exam to be licensed in their state and complete annual continuing education requirements to maintain their licenses. PTA’s provide treatment to patients under the guidance and supervision of a Physical Therapist.