If you break an arm, suffer a stroke or have a total joint replacement, chances are your physician will refer you to a physical therapist.

October is National Physical Therapy Month and Piedmont Fayette Hospital is recognizing the hospital’s physical therapy department and their efforts to help individuals recover from surgery or an injury.

Carolene Thames of Fayetteville, Ga., has a new lease on life after her physical therapy sessions at Piedmont Fayette.

“I had a total knee replacement and needed physical therapy after my surgery. I was amazed at how much education physical therapists have,” Thames said. “They really know the body and how to help it heal. It’s not just a guessing game for them.”

Physical therapy has its origins in ancient history, but made significant strides when massage and remedial gymnastics became a vital service in both world wars. Much was learned through the rehabilitation of injured servicemen from these unfortunate events.

Physical therapy grew rapidly after the second World War with spinal injury units, orthopaedic hospitals and chest clinics providing new challenges to the profession. Today, physical therapists practice in a variety of settings and provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease.
Kesha King is one of Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s full-time physical therapists. She describes physical therapy as a compilation of rehabilitation.

“Physical therapists help patients who are experiencing short- or long-term debilitation for many reasons,” King said. “Our job is to help patients function as best they can with their unique challenges.”
Physical therapy services offered at Piedmont Fayette Hospital include orthopedic, neurological, and obstetric physical therapy, pelvic pain and incontinence therapy, and wound care treatment. Other services available include occupational therapy, lymphedema therapy, speech-language pathology, cardiac rehab, exercise classes such as Moms In Motion, as well as the fitness center.

Some of the conditions that physical therapy impact include back and neck pain, spinal and joint conditions, problems affecting children, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida, heart and lung conditions, sport-related injuries, incontinence, and neurological conditions, such as stroke and multiple sclerosis.

“I thought my knees would take a year to heal,” Thames recalled. “With physical therapy, I could tell a difference in a month. Now, not only are my knees better than ever, my entire body is stronger. The physical therapy was a phenomenal experience.”

There are more than 150,000 physical therapists in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. About 1,640 physical therapists practice in the metro Atlanta area.
For more information about PFH’s physical therapy services, call 770-719-7290. To learn more aboutPiedmont Fayette Hospital, visit www.fayettehospital.org.

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