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Physical Therapy Clinic provides rehabilitation for students, community
Factoid: The SIUC Physical Therapy Clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments for evaluation can be made by calling 453-2361
Ratnem Nerella sat in room 124 of Wham Tuesday with a hot pack wrapped around her left shoulder, waiting to begin her regimen of passive stretching, massage and work with one-pound dumbbells.
Nerella has been visiting the SIUC Physical Therapy Clinic for five months, first to strengthen her muscles in preparation for surgery on her shoulder rotator cuff, and then after her surgery to regain strength and range of motion in her arm.
Todd Vaughn, coordinator of the clinic, said almost 20 percent of the patients who attend the clinic are faculty and community members like Nerella. The other 80 percent is made up of students who utilize the clinic via referrals from their doctors.
The clinic is part of the SIU Clinical Center, which was developed almost 40 years ago to support health care associate degree units on campus. Vaughn said SIUC's physical therapy assistant program is the only one in the country with an on-site therapy unit.
After receiving a doctor's referral, patients are evaluated by a therapist to determine their physical dysfunction related to the neuromusculoskeletal, pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. Once a patient has been evaluated, individualized treatment plans are implemented to prevent, improve or correct the problem.
Vaughn said the center employs a great deal of hands-on treatment methods, including soft tissue and joint mobilization, which works to return areas to their full mobility.
The clinic also utilizes several other treatments, including neuro-development techniques, electro-therapy, and aquatic therapy, which aids in injuries such as hip and knee replacements where additional weight would not facilitate recovery.
Its primary mission is to train students, Vaughn said. Under the supervision of professionals, PTA students are instructed on treatment techniques and various dysfunctions while receiving course credit.
"The students are exposed to a good variety of dysfunctions, from pediatrics to sports medicine," Vaughn said. "They do their first two or three practices on site, and once they've passed the courses, they begin internships at hospitals.
"We are very comfortable with them going away, because we know their skill levels are good before they actually go off campus."
The clinic links patients with students at certain skill levels, and all of the therapy is administered by professional clinicians or supervised clinicians in training.
The fee for students and faculty is $4 per half hour of therapy. Community members are required to pay $25 per session, but an income-based sliding fee scale is offered based on gross annual income and the number of dependents in the family.
Vaughn said the sliding fee scale is beneficial to those who cannot afford therapy elsewhere. He said private clinics can start their fees at $100 per session.
Patients' regimens can consist of a single visit or be as frequent as five times a week for several months, depending on their need. The therapists work closely with physicians, and visits usually decrease in frequency as the patient reaches his or her goals for recovery.
After attending the clinic three times a week since her surgery, Nerella has been making progress to a full recovery.
"She's really getting close to being discharged," said Regina Brown, a licensed physical therapy assistant.
Although the doctor would have the final say as to when her therapy should end, Brown anticipated four to six more weeks of therapy.
"She is an excellent therapist," Nerella said. "She works hard, so I am happy. I am getting better."
