Achieving Your Personal Best
With the variety of specialty rehabilitation services available at USC University Hospital’s Occupational/Physical/Speech Therapy Services Department, we are able to tailor our care to each patient’s unique needs and goals – helping individuals achieve their personal best. Here is an overview of the resources we offer:
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
The goal of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is to help patients with heart (cardiac ) and/or lung (pulmonary) disease maximize their independence and quality of life through an exercise program designed to increase their aerobic capacity, or their ability to use oxygen when they exert themselves physically. Our ultimate aim is to help patients resume as active a lifestyle as possible. Depending on the patient’s individual condition, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation may also help to:
- Decrease morbidity, mortality and disability
- Help patients adjust physically and psychologically to their disease
- Reduce limitations related to symptomology
- Stabilize, slow or even reverse the progression of underlying disease
- Reduce risk factors to help minimize future cardiopulmonary complications and the progression of their disease process
- Provide education to improve patients' understanding of their condition
- Provide guidance on returning to work or school, when appropriate
At USC University Hospital, both inpatient and outpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is provided by therapists who are certified in this specialty. This means that they not only are licensed physical therapists, but have met rigorous national standards of education, experience and clinical expertise in the specialty of cardiopulmonary therapy.
Who Benefits from Cardiopulmonary Therapy?
Patients often will undergo cardiopulmonary rehabilitation when they have had:
- Angina (chest pain)
- Angioplasty, atherectomy (removal of plaque from coronary arteries or vein grafts) or stent placement
- Heart attack
- Heart transplantation
- Lung transplantation
- Open heart surgery
- Thoracic (chest) surgery
Doctors also may recommend cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation to patients with:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis
- Congestive heart failure
- Cystic fibrosis (CF)
- Occupational/environmental lung disease
- Other lung diseases such as interstitial fibrosis and bronchiectasis
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Respiratory failure
Comprehensive Diagnostic & Treatment Resources
An exercise program to improve a patient’s capacity for physical exertion is at the heart of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. After a thorough and careful evaluation of the patient’s physical condition and expectations, this exercise program is carefully tailored to meet realistic goals and is modified as the patient gains strength and endurance.
For someone who has undergone major surgery and is in the intensive care unit (ICU), cardiopulmonary rehabilitation may start with simple bedside exercises to promote circulation and enhance recovery, progressing to out of bed and a low-level walking program. For others, it may include a regular exercise regimen of walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle to promote return to a regular exercise regimen or leisure related activities.
Because respiratory therapy (RT) often is another important component of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, we work closely with RT specialists to coordinate care.
Plus, as part of a renowned academic institution and tertiary medical center, our cardiologists, pulmonologists and heart and lung surgeons treat some of the most complex cases in the Los Angeles area, further enhancing the depth and breadth of specialty clinical expertise available here.
Family involvement is integral to a successful cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program. Because a patient’s health problems can affect family and friends, we emphasize their involvement during the rehabilitation process. Members of the clinical team also will teach family members how to help with care after discharge, or during outpatient therapy.
Common Terms Used in Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
- Aerobic capacity – The amount of oxygen used during physical exertion.
- Arrhythmia – Abnormal heart rhythm.
- Cardiac rehabilitation – Refers to a coordinated multi-disciplinary intervention designed to optimize a patient’s physical, psychological and social functioning through comprehensive education, exercise and aggressive disease management.
- Cardiopulmonary – Relating to the heart (cardio) and lungs (pulmonary).
- Chronic – Long-lasting. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months or more.
- Dyspnea – Shortness of breath; difficult or labored breathing.
- Exacerbation – An increase in the severity of symptoms.
- Functional – Generally, functional refers to something able to fulfill its purpose or function. In rehabilitation, functional exercise refers to exercise that helps a patient resume his or her regular activities and functions.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation – A multidisciplinary program of care for patients with chronic respiratory (breathing) impairment. It is individually tailored and designed to help the patient achieve optimal physical and social performance and independence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often will I have to exercise?
It depends on your individual condition and personal goals. But to improve and maintain aerobic capacity, regular and ongoing physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle The American Heart Association recommends some form of daily aerobic exercise.
How much improvement will I see in my aerobic capacity?
Again, it depends on your individual condition. Even when individuals undergo identical training regimens, the effect of this training varies from person to person. The aim of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is to help you achieve your personal best.
What can I do to make sure I get the most out of my training?
Setting realistic goals is an integral part of therapy. With each milestone you achieve, you can measure your progress and feel a sense of accomplishment that helps encourage you to reach your next goal.
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General Therapy/Rehabilitation
General therapy/rehabilitation is a combination of physical, occupational and speech therapy aimed at helping patients maintain or recover physical capabilities after a serious injury or illness. These therapies are available on an inpatient and outpatient basis at USC University Hospital.
- Physical Therapy (PT) – Physical therapy uses exercises and physical activities to help condition muscles and restore strength and movement.
- Occupational Therapy (OT) – Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps people develop the real-life skills for the “job of living” and achieve as much independence as possible.
- Speech Therapy/Pathology – Speech therapy is the treatment of physical and/or cognitive deficits/disorders that result in difficulty with verbal communication.
The goal of therapy and rehabilitation is to help patients regain and/or maintain maximum self-sufficiency so they can function as normally as possible in their daily lives.
Who Benefits from General Therapy/Rehabilitation?
Some of the health conditions that benefit from general therapy and rehabilitation services are:
- Amputation
- Stroke
- Deconditioning (a decline in physical fitness) that results from prolonged bed rest
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Loss of joint mobility due to disease, injury or disuse
- Muscle weakness
- Acute injury
- Balance problems
- Surgery that impairs movement (therapy can be used to restore arm and shoulder movement and build back strength after breast cancer surgery, for example)
Comprehensive Diagnostic & Treatment Resources
At USC University Hospital, therapy begins with a thorough evaluation to diagnose the specific problem and develop a treatment plan, complete with short- and long-term goals that you help to establish. Your treatment plan draws on the comprehensive range of treatment resources and approaches we have available, all designed to help restore strength and movement, reduce or eliminate pain, and get you back to your regular activities.
- Physical Therapy may include:
- Therapeutic exercise tailored to your specific needs and goals
- Pain management including TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and ultrasound
- Casting for orthotics (orthopedic appliances aimed at improving posture, function or mobility, such as braces, splints or molded shoe inserts)
- Occupational Therapy may include:
- Customized treatment programs to improve your ability to perform daily activities at home, work or school
- Comprehensive home and job-site evaluations with recommendations on ways to adapt the environment for optimal functioning
- Performance skills assessments and treatment
- Adaptive equipment recommendations and training on how to use it
- Guidance to family members and caregivers
- Speech Therapy may include:
- Diagnosis of underlying physical, physiological or emotional dysfunction impairing communication skills
- Training in breathing, use of the voice and/or speaking habits
- Assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders (dysphagia)
For conditions that require more specialized expertise, we have a team of certified specialists in orthopedics, hand therapy, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, wound care, swallowing and voice disorders,lymphedema and sports-related injuries.
Common Terms Used in Therapy/Rehabilitation
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) – Activities that are considered a part of normal, everyday life, such as dressing, bathing, toileting and eating.
- Adaptive equipment – Devices that help people with a physical impairment to write, read, move, speak, hear, and otherwise conduct normal activities. These can include items to assist a patient in their Activities of Daily Living (ADL) such as cooking, bathing, dressing, etc . Also called assistive devices.
- Deconditioning – The loss of physical strength or stamina resulting from bed rest or lack of exercise.
- Dysphagia – Difficulty in swallowing.
- Functional – Generally, functional refers to something able to fulfill its purpose or function. In rehabilitation, functional exercise refers to exercise that helps a patient resume his or her regular activities or functions.
- Mobility – The ability of a person to move around and change position. A person with a mobility impairment may have difficulty with walking, standing, lifting, climbing stairs, carrying, balancing, or having the stamina and endurance to do these kinds of activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take for me to get back to “normal?”
There simply is no single, simple answer to this question because each person is unique and there are so many variables that can affect the length of time it takes to recover from an injury or illness. Each of our therapists will work closely with you to establish realistic expectations, timeframes and goals, and communicate openly and honestly about your progress and prognosis.
What if I need more specialized therapy?
This is a real advantage to undergoing rehabilitation at USC University Hospital. As an academic medical institution and tertiary care center, we treat some of the most complex cases in the Los Angeles area which, in turn, gives you access to a depth and breadth of specialty clinical expertise seldom found in a community hospital setting. If you need more specialized therapy, we have certified specialists in orthopedics, hand therapy, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, wound care, swallowing and voice disorders, lymphedema management and sports-related injuries right here, ready to bring their multidisciplinary skills and expertise to your plan of care.
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Hand Therapy
Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitating the upper quarter of the human body after injury or illness. Hand therapy merges occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT), using specialized skills to assess and treat disease and injury, to prevent dysfunction, and to restore function and/or reverse the progression of disease that affects this vital part of the body.
Hand therapy is primarily provided on an outpatient basis. Inpatient services can also be provided for those patients requiring hand therapy immediately after an injury or illness. At USC University Hospital, the hand therapists are certified in this specialty. This means that they not only are licensed occupational or physical therapists, but they have met rigorous national standards of education, experience and clinical expertise in the specialty of hand therapy.
Who Benefits From Hand Therapy?
Hand therapy can be beneficial for a range of orthopedic hand problems, including:
- Bone fracture in the hand or arm
- Crush injury
- Arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
- Tendon lacerations
- Repetitive motion injury (RMI) such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger (when tendon