Physical therapy patients who pass through South Sunflower County Hospital’s therapy wing are seeing results like never before.
That is largely due to the fact that the Indianola-based hospital is using new technological advances to help patients, particularly the elderly, maneuver better.
Physical Therapist and SSCH Director of Rehab Joey Albritton said she has seen patients come through that could not stand and walk who are now moving about.
One piece of technology, in particular, is the NeuroGym Bungee Mobility Trainer, a machine that allows patients to challenge themselves to move without the dangers of falling.
“It’s really cool, because it is a frame that we can put people in that has little straps that come up on your hips, so we can have them do all of these balance activities where they have to shift their body weight from one side to the other,” Albritton said. “They pick one foot up, catch and throw, and do all kinds of things you have to do normally, but if you fall, you don’t fall. You sit down. It’s a little chair.”
Albritton said there is one elderly patient the therapy department has been working with who is now able to walk with the use of her walker after using the trainer.
“When she started, she had fallen several times before she came here,” Albritton said. “Dr. (Katie) Patterson sent her over, and said ‘do what you can.’ Now she walks on a walker faster than I can walk down the hall.”
Albritton said this is just one part of a multi-pronged approach to improve therapy at the hospital.
“We’re hitting them with all three disciplines,” Albritton said. “Physical therapy works on anything that has to do with balance, lower extremity and trunk strength. Occupational therapy works with the patient on the upper extremity part, working on fine motor skills. The speech therapist is working with them on things like trouble with speech and swallowing. She uses the VitalStim on them, and it actually strengthens the muscles that help you swallow.”
Albritton said that these therapies are helpful, especially when it comes to stroke patients, people with Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
“It gives, especially our older population, a lot more confidence in trying things that are difficult, and it challenges them in ways that are safe,” Albritton said of the NeuroGym. “It helps anyone with a balance problem and gait dysfunction.”
