The Valley Hospital is now open at 4 Valley Health Plaza in Paramus. (You may need to use 650 Winters Avenue for GPS.) All emergency care is now being provided at this location. Emergency care is no longer available at our Ridgewood campus.
Physical therapists at Valley offer a wide range of treatments to help with your condition. Available treatments include:
Physical therapists assess your gait pattern (the way you walk) and identify any gait dysfunctions that are often related to a deficit in strength, flexibility, pain, or certain other issues and diagnoses. Treatments can include correcting gait deviations, training with assistive devices (canes, walkers, etc.), recommendation of braces/splints, and balance/coordination training.
Through evaluation of multiple systems of the body, physical therapists create an individualized program tailored for each patient. Muscles, joints, the inner ear, eye tracking ability, skin sensation, and position awareness in the joints (proprioception) are some of the categories that are assessed. Exercises and activities can include strengthening, stretching, proprioception, visual tracking and habituation, and narrow base of support activities. The Biodex Balance System is an assessment and therapy technology that provides patients and clinicians with visual real-time feedback regarding posture and balance control.
Specific exercises, which are prescribed for individuals after completing their assessment, may include strengthening and endurance exercises/activities for acute or chronic injuries, use of gym equipment and weight machines, stretching exercises, and cardiovascular equipment (treadmill, bicycle, etc.).
Functional activities, including transfers from one position to another, gait and stair training, and body mechanics like lifting and reaching are addressed. Identifying difficulties with functional activities can help prevent future injuries or issues.
Patients who need an orthotic or prosthetic from having a weakness or abnormality of the lower extremity may receive gait training with an ankle-foot orthosis, inserts for shoes, prosthetics with/without an assistive device, and proper wear and fit of orthotics. Patients who have prosthetics from a lower extremity amputation can also be seen for proper wear, fit, and ambulation training.
Physical therapists have many options to treat the pain you may be experiencing. Pain-relief techniques may include:
Specific hands-on techniques can help relieve pain, increase joint and soft tissue mobility, and decrease swelling. Manual therapy includes passive stretching of muscles; soft tissue manipulation and mobilization; joint mobilizations and manipulation; passive range of motion of joints and extremities; and nerve glides.
Hydrotherapy uses a whirlpool tub or tank to treat patients with circulation problems, wounds, or burns that require removal of dead tissue or debris from a wound (debridement). The affected area is submerged into a tank filled with warm water, and then the wound is cleaned and dressed with bandages. At Valley, hydrotherapy treatments are offered at 505 Goffle Road in Ridgewood.
Hydrotherapy can be useful for individuals with the following conditions:
An alternative to land-based physical therapy, aquatic physical therapy takes place in a heated pool and is supervised by a trained physical therapist. It is not necessary to know how to swim; treatment may be completed in a sitting or standing position. At Valley, aquatic therapy is offered at the Center for Health and Wellness in Mahwah.
Aquatic therapy may be recommended for the following conditions:
Some benefits of aquatic therapy include:
Patients receive feedback on proper biomechanics with lifting and reaching techniques, assessment of posture in various positions, and assessment of any strength or flexibility deficits. Patients often receive a home exercise program that enables them to continue their treatment program, increase carryover, and remain an active participant in their recovery. Patients also have access to a website that features exercise videos, photos and patient information, to further ensure continuation of their exercise program.