Maintaining Independent Function After Rehabilitation

Working individually with a physical therapist specialized and certified in orthopedics, clients can participate in monthly wellness visits for continued education and guidance beyond their rehabilitation needs.

Completion of physical therapy marks the end of an enriching chapter of hard work, self-improvement, and patience. It also is the beginning of functioning independently in your normal life – a maintenance phase! Sufficiently keeping up with staying healthy can be enhanced with periodic coaching.

Wellness upkeep is an active decision to assume responsibility for the quality of one’s life. Of the eight dimensions of wellness (physical, social, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, vocation, financial, and environmental), physical wellness will be the focus here. This means caring for one’s body to stay healthy now and, in the future, – to include lifestyle habits, fitness, exercise, nutrition, and relevant knowledge.

Under the guidance of a musculoskeletal expert, clients can safely achieve their desired results, prevent injury, and enhance their success with their life-long health journey. Fitness is a lifestyle! As highlighted by the American Physical Therapy Association, “Lifestyle changes, including increased physical activity, can lead to health benefits in those with chronic disease, prevent or manage a number of noncommunicable diseases, and lead to an increased quality of life.” Research continues to show considerable benefits of lifestyle changes for one’s health.

A skilled therapist will engage with clients one-on-one to design individualized fitness programs to work towards specific goals for continued independent function. This can take place at any of CAO’s Physical Therapy Southern Maryland clinic locations: Waldorf, Leonardtown, or California. This one-hour monthly session will include:

• Functional movement assessment (running analysis available)
• Review of strength, conditioning, flexibility, and overall fitness
• Independent program design

Screening and evaluation will place emphasis on the movement system – how you move through your life! Focus will be on matching clients’ health history and physical ability to their health and activity goals. This is a great opportunity to offer clients wellness know-how to live more active, healthier, and well-rounded physical lives.

Clients will be asked an important question: “What would you like to be different a year from now in your life?” Working together with a physical therapist, clients will plan through what needs to happen now, next week, next month, and next year to increase the likelihood of those personal health goals being achieved. Steps to take and incrementally build upon – in terms of exercise, nutrition, sleep habits, etc. – will be defined to help boost odds of personal health goals reaching fruition.

The primary purpose of this program is to help individuals better understand their health and fitness, and better match their daily habits to their desired activity levels.

This program serves as a guide for enhanced physical conditioning, injury prevention, and health promotion after recovery from an injury/surgery. This is not intended to replace any part of medical treatment for participants’ conditions. Wellness services are not to be confused with physical therapy services and thus are not billable to most insurance carriers. Individuals with sports aspirations or seeking more frequent training guidance are encouraged to try our Bridging Program or Sports Programs.