Physical Therapy Stretches Out to Staff at Naval Hospital Bremerton

Photo By Douglas Stutz | Not a bridge too far...Petty Officer 3rd Class Lindsay Edwards, physical therapy technician with Naval Hospital Bremerton's Physical Therapy (PT) Department takes command staff members through a series of core strength exercises as part of the PT Department's Open House held on Oct. 27, 2016 to showcase all the department had to offer (Official Navy photo by Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs).  

BREMERTON , WA, UNITED STATES

10.27.2016

Story by Douglas Stutz    

Naval Hospital Bremerton/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton

Ronald Angevine can attest that one of the primary responsibilities of Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Physical Therapy (PT) department is to help patients improve their mobility and function after surgery.

Twice a week for the past three months, Angevine has gone for physical therapy to help with rehabilitation from rotator cuff surgery.

“Our Physical Therapy is excellent. Even before my surgery, the few times I went there, the customer service and support was always top-notch. Now when I go, I constantly get pushed to make myself better. We joke about that I cringe every time I go in there, but it’s a good cringe,” said Angevine, NHB program support assistant.

To showcase what they can do for beneficiaries like Angevine, the PT Department held an open house on Oct. 27 with interactive stations, static displays, and hands-on demonstrations. There was even a Jeopardy contest.

According to Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam D. Toler, PT Department Leading Petty Officer, the goal of the open house was to teach other staff members and patients specific techniques on how to reduce or eliminate pain, aid the healing of an acute sports injury, delay or even avoid surgery completely, prepare for a surgical procedure and recovery, restore mobility, balance, or normal gait, prevent re-injury, and provide education on preventing future injuries.

“I’ve seen firsthand how PT Department has been beneficial in helping patients regain strength, mobility, and pain relief. We want to share this with our NHB Staff for their own benefit. It’s a high-benefit, low-risk solution to treating many different conditions,” Toler said.

NHB’s PT Department can diagnose and treat individuals of all ages who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. This may include diagnosis and management of movement dysfunction as well as enhancement of physical and functional abilities. PT Department also restores, maintains, and promotes not only optimal physical function, but also optimal wellness, fitness, and quality of life as it relates to movement and health.

“The overall goal is to reduce and prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries. Helping people to attain or regain the ability to carry out their daily life activities as well as achieve optimal wellness and optimal quality of life is a great feeling of personal satisfaction,” explained Toler.

The most common type of ailments that are seen in PT Department are low back pain, knee pain, and post-surgical conditions, all of which were addressed in the Jeopardy contest.

As soon as anyone entered the open house event, they were given the chance to compete in Jeopardy. NHB physical therapist Dr. Amanda Hurlburt was the driving force for the contest as a way to get other command staff members involved by testing their knowledge and educating them on facts, techniques, and treatment options. The contest featured categories of, ‘Stretch, Stretch, Stretch,’ ‘I’m Injured, Now What,’ ‘Knee Pain,’ ‘Yeah, We’re Good,’ ‘Hot and Cold,’ and ‘Lower back Pain.’

“We tailored the answers to the questions in each category to let everyone know what we have available for there here. We can help deal with issues from lower back pain to designing a stretching routine for anyone,” said Toler.

The services provided at NHB's PT include post-operative rehabilitation, pelvic floor therapy, pregnancy/post-partum physical therapy, dry needling, manual therapy and manipulation for the spine and extremities, cupping therapy, balance and proprioceptive retraining, aqua therapy, sports rehabilitation and pre-operative teaching and strengthening prior to total joint replacement.

For those seeking an appointment, eligible patients can contact their primary care manager to obtain a Physical Therapy Referral, and then can contact the Puget Sound Military Appointing Center at 1-800-404-4506, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to book an appointment or call the PT Department front desk at [phone].

• Date Taken: 10.27.2016
• Date Posted: 10.28.2016 16:47
• Story ID: 213219
• Location: BREMERTON , WA, US