Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation

Our emphasis in physical therapy is restoring and improving the quality of life for the patient with cancer throughout the course of his/her treatment. Addressing the patient as a whole, we treat post-surgical issues such as potential range of motion deficits and postural changes, chemotherapy-related balance and gait problems, post radiation skin changes, and general weakness and fatigue. Occupational therapy may be consulted for activities of daily living and fine motor impairments. Speech therapy is available for swallowing or communication deficits.

Lymphedema is an accumulation of proteins and fluid in the tissues resulting in swelling in the arms or legs. Secondary lymphedema can occur as a result of cancer treatment; including following a surgical procedure to remove lymph nodes and/or as a complication of radiation therapy. Our staff provides education on evidence-based guidelines for prevention and self-management. A multidisciplinary approach is used for optimal control of symptoms with emphasis on maintaining a healthy body weight and an active lifestyle.

Our Occupational Therapy Team includes certified hand therapists and occupational therapists, each with decades of experience. We take pride in providing the highest level of care for our patients with upper extremity pain and dysfunction. We treat a wide range of conditions including: fractures; sports- and work-related injuries; tendonitis; tendon and nerve injuries; arthritis; strokes and other neurological conditions. We also offer Pilates-based rehabilitation which teaches core control to help improve posture, stabilize the spine, and improve quality of movement in daily activities.

We provide customized home programs, and teach techniques to manage pain and prevent re-injury. We are committed to collaboration between patient, therapist, and physician to aid in the return to all activities of daily living.

Pelvic rehabilitation is a specialized area of physical therapy that treats conditions such as incontinence (urinary: urge, stress, mixed and fecal), urgency/frequency issues, pelvic pain and post-operative pelvic reconstructive surgery. Prenatal and post-partum patients may also benefit from pelvic floor therapy. Evaluation and treatment includes painless biofeedback with specialized equipment to assist you in gaining control over your natural body functions.

A certified speech and language pathologist provides a wide variety of communication therapy techniques for adults and children, both inpatient and outpatient, to improve speech, swallowing, voice and listening skills. Evaluation, treatment and consultation is offered in the following areas: articulation, aphasia (post stroke language), motor speech disorders, stuttering, voice, swallowing and child language disorders.

Highly skilled and experienced therapists perform comprehensive evaluations addressing both acute and chronic conditions. Treatment plans are individualized and may include manual therapy, Graston therapy (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization), strengthening with core exercises, and education for protection of spine during daily or recreational activities.

Using evidenced based principles, we collaborate with BID Plymouth's Spine Care and Pain Management Centers for seamless and individualized care.

Physical therapists specially trained in the area of sports medicine provide treatment for athletic injuries to bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons; pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation; injuries related to running, throwing and youth sports; and post-concussion treatment. Therapeutic care is provided for sports-related injuries to allow patients to maximize their health, quality of life, and level of sports participation.

Dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness and gait disturbances are some of the diagnoses addressed with vestibular rehabilitation. BID Plymouth’s Vestibular Rehab Program provides a multi-faceted approach to address the causes of dizziness and balance issues that may lead to falls.

A physical therapist will assess the cause of your dizziness and balance issues and give appropriate recommendations; this may include balance and strength exercises, compensatory strategies for visual problems and/or strategies to manage vertigo or dizziness. Your therapist may also recommend an assistive device to lower your risk for falls.

Our goal is to provide patients with the tools necessary to improve their balance, and the awareness of strategies to manage the vertigo and continue a safe, active lifestyle.

BID Plymouth's Occupational Therapy Team offers a work conditioning program for patients who have been injured on the job and need more intensive strengthening and instruction before returning to work. Based on the recommendations of the physician and individual job requirements, therapist and patients work collaboratively to develop a holistic program that addresses the physical demands of the job.

In a supportive group setting patients perform cardiovascular and strengthening exercises, receive instructions in body mechanics, and simulate job tasks. The goal of work conditioning is to prepare the patient/employee for returning to work with good strength to perform job tasks with strategies to manage pain and the knowledge of proper body mechanics to prevent re-injury. We work closely with the Occupational Health Department to manage these cases and we are also available for pre-employment screenings.

In collaboration with the patient, employer and physician, we offer a multidisciplinary approach to managing the injured worker. With an emphasis on early mobility and specific job simulation activities, our goal is to get patients back to work quickly and safely and equipped with the tools to prevent reinjures.