Whether you’re recovering from a stroke or recuperating from a ligament sprain, you know that illness and injury can make daily living a real challenge. From bathing and dressing to cooking and cleaning, returning to work or relearning speech skills, the things you did easily-even automatically-before may now be difficult. While you’ll be happy to be back home after a hospital stay or surgery, you may need greater support and assistance for your daily activities.
At Virginia Hospital Center, our Outpatient Rehabilitation program has one primary goal: to help you regain maximum independence and functioning so that you can safely, comfortably and happily return to your everyday life. Our physicians and therapists use their experience and skill, combined with the latest technology, to provide comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation for a wide range of physical disabilities caused by strokes, arthritis, degenerative joint disease, cancer, repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sports injuries, musculoskeletal disorders and other orthopedic or neurological conditions.
Customized Caring
The professionals at Outpatient Rehabilitation understand that each patient’s needs are unique. So your rehabilitation will begin with an in-depth evaluation that considers your injury or illness, your overall medical condition, your lifestyle and goals, and the other factors that will affect your continuing recovery.
Depending on your needs and conditions, you may work with a qualified professional in each of these disciplines during your rehabilitation:
Physiatry
A board certified physiatrist, a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation, serves as the medical director of Virginia Hospital Center’s Outpatient Rehabilitation program. The medical director conducts specialized diagnostic tests, such as electromyographic examinations (EMGs) and nerve conduction velocity studies (NCVs). On request, the physiatrist sees patients to evaluate their needs and prescribe appropriate therapy treatments.
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy provides treatment for a variety of physical injuries and impairments involving the central nervous system or the musculoskeletal system. Physical therapists use exercises and activities to help patients regain strength, as well as improve balance and basic mobility. Additionally, physical therapists assist patients in the use of their braces and prosthetic devices.
Physical Therapy also provides a variety of therapeutic treatments to reduce pain, increase comfort and improve function. A variety of modalities are available including electrical stimulation, iontophoresis, and manual therapy.
Specialized programs in Physical Therapy include:
- Back Program/Manual Therapy
- Brace Use and Prosthetic Training
- Wound Care (whirlpool and extremity hyperbaric oxygen available)
- Lymphedema Management: Due to disruption of the lymphatic system, patients may have swelling in an arm or leg. Our Lymphedema Management program provides patients with ways to alleviate the problem. Techniques used by our certified lymphedema therapist include specific massage/drainage practices, compression bandaging/sleeves, targeted exercises and education/prevention.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy assists patients as they build and relearn skills that are important for independent functioning and daily living. These activities could include bathing and grooming, dressing, cooking and other everyday activities that can be difficult or even hazardous for patients recovering from illness or injury. Our occupational therapists help patients to learn new techniques for carrying out daily tasks, use specialized tools to perform these activities more easily and safely, and conserve their energy and protect vulnerable joints from additional injury.
Occupational Therapy offers these specialized programs:
- Customized Splinting
- Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
Speech-Language Pathology
Speech-Language Pathology services help people improve communication, cognitive function, memory and problem-solving skills, swallowing function and voice production. Individuals with stroke, neuromuscular disease, traumatic brain injury and vocal cord pathology will often demonstrate difficulties in a variety of areas and may benefit from Speech-Language Pathology services.
Speech-Language specialized programs include treatment of the following:
- Aphasia
- Apraxia
- Cognitive and Memory Deficits
- Dysarthria
- Dysphagia
- Voice Disorders
Outpatient Rehabilitation offers the following interdisciplinary programs:
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Work Simulation/Training
- Work Station Evaluation
- Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation: About half of elderly Americans have repeated falls, resulting in some 200,000 hip fractures each year. To help prevent these falls, which can result in serious medical complications, Outpatient Rehabilitation offers specialized Balance and Vestibular Rehabilitation programs that have enabled approximately 80% of those participating to improve their balance and reduce their risk of falling.
We’re Here to Help
If you or your family member has suffered an injury or illness that interferes with the ability to move freely and safely, Outpatient Rehabilitation may help. To schedule an appointment, call us at 703.558.6507.
Please note that your physician’s written order is required to use our services. Additionally, an authorization or referral from your insurance company may be needed. Department hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, with extended hours to 6:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays
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