Pool therapy

Pool therapy, also called aquatic therapy, is essentially physical therapy performed in the water. There are many benefits of aquatic therapy, such as relaxation, pain management, physical fitness, physical rehabilitation and functional training.

Aquatic therapy is appropriate for almost anyone. Our skilled physical therapists create a customized care plan for your needs to ensure optimal benefit.

Conditions that benefit from aquatic therapy

• Fibromyalgia
• Arthritis
• Low back pain
• Spinal paralysis
• Pediatrics
• Balance disorders
• Sports and orthopedic injuries

Benefits of aquatic therapy

• Buoyancy provides cushioning effects in water
• Decreased load on joints
• Decreased chance of injury
• Water provides gentle resistance for exercise
• Cardiovascular benefits include improved circulation of blood and lymphatic flow
• Muscular benefits
• Decreased blood pressure
• Decreased edema or swelling
• Improved breathing
• Warm water decreases sensitivity to nerve endings and promotes general relaxation
• Improved endurance to exercise

Pool therapy services are offered in Mora. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Physical therapy

We help make daily tasks easier. How? By increasing your overall physical function. And in turn, we help you become more independent. Physical therapy can help with recovery after surgery, a stroke or brain injury, general or sports-related injuries and long-term health problems. We can also help you prevent injuries through education on physical health.

If you have decreased mobility, strength or physical function, we can help. Our skilled professionals work closely with other Welia Health providers to ensure the best possible patient care. To learn more about how physical therapy may help you, visit ChoosePT.

Why see a physical therapist?

• LSVT BIG therapy for Parkinson’s patients
• Brace fitting
• Cancer rehabilitation
• Chronic Pain
• Crutch training
• Dry needling
• Foot orthotics
• Incontinence
• Lymphedema
• Neurological
• Orthopedic
• Pediatrics
• Pelvic Pain
• Pool therapy
• Sports medicine
• Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
• Torticollis and plagiocephaly
• Vestibular rehabilitation
• Women’s health
• Wound care

Physical therapy services are available in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Pediatric therapy

Welia Health’s pediatric therapists focus specifically on the needs of children. We offer a complete spectrum of physical, occupational and speech therapy services with the goal of helping children reach their greatest potential in daily living skills, mobility, communication and social interaction skills. E

Who benefits from pediatric therapy?

Every day, we work with children with a variety of diagnoses, including:

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Sensory processing disorder
• ADHD
• Developmental delays
• Cerebral palsy
• Torticollis
• Brachial plexus injury
• Traumatic brain injury
• Down Syndrome or other syndromes
• Orthopedic conditions
• Muscular diseases and muscular in-coordination
• Gait abnormalities
• Speech and language delays
• Feeding problems

Therapists tailor a child- and family-centered care plan for each patient and set therapeutic goals to work toward, both in the clinic and at home. Therapy consists of play-based activities to build functional skills while appealing to each child’s interests.

Additional resources

• KidsHealth
• The Role of Occupational Therapy with Children and Youth
• American Occupational Therapy Association Fact Sheet
• Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy Fact Sheets

Pediatric therapy services are available in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356. A referral may be required for pediatric therapy services, please check with your primary care provider and your insurance carrier.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Hand therapy

The certified hand therapists at Welia Health specifically evaluate and treat upper extremities, including the hands, wrists, elbows, forearms and shoulders.

Patients benefiting from hand therapy

• Affected by an accident or trauma leaving them with wounds, scars, burns, injured tendons, nerves, fractures or even amputations of fingers, hands or arms.
• Limited by conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, chronic conditions such as arthritis, or neurological conditions such as a stroke.

Hand therapy uses exercise and physical agent modalities including ultrasound, electrical stimulation, paraffin and dry whirlpool to decrease new or long-lasting pain and help improve mobility and motion.

Types of hand therapy

• Splint fabrication for custom support and positioning of injured joints, tendons, nerves and muscles
• Adaptive equipment education, joint protection, and energy conservation training to make everyday living easier and more comfortable
• Consulting, training and education within work environments for work station modification and alternative work methods
• Education for at-home exercise programs to improve movement and strength

Hand therapy services are available in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Occupational therapy

The occupational therapists at Welia Health help people recover from injury, accelerate their return to a productive lifestyle; provide support for older adults experiencing changes in their physical and cognitive/thinking skills; and help children with disabilities so they can fully participate in school and social situations.

The Welia occupational therapy team includes services relating to cognitive (rehabilitation after a stroke, those suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other neurological diagnoses) and pediatric therapy. Each specialty offers a broad scope of practice to meet each patient’s unique needs.

Our occupational therapists provide rehabilitation following a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Parkinsonian disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, MS (Multiple Sclerosis), head injuries and other neurological diagnoses.

Types of occupational therapy

• Orthopedic – musculoskeletal therapy
• LSVT Big – Parkinson’s disease
• Neurologic – movement issues for daily living
• Cognitive
• Pediatrics
• Power mobility
• Vision

Occupational therapy practitioners use a “whole” perspective where the focus is put on the patient and adapting his/her environment and refining skills to fit the person.

Treatment options

• Assessment, goal setting and outcome evaluation with patient, caregiver and family
• Cognitive assessments
  • SLUMS – Saint Louis University Mental Status
  • MoCA – Montreal Cognitive Assessment
  • LACL – Large Allen Cognitive Level
  • CPT – Cognitive Performance Test
• Fall prevention strategies
  • Removing throw rugs, improving lighting, handrail installation, grab bars, wearing non-skid and sensible soled shoes
• Home or school modification strategies and ideas
• Equipment to aid in daily function and independence
  • Help with dressing, use of modified eating utensils, etc.
• Physical rehabilitation for weakness, loss of coordination and limited motion

Visit American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. for more information.

Occupational therapy services are available in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356. A referral may be required for occupational therapy services, please check with your primary care provider and your insurance carrier.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Cardiovascular services

Welia Health’s cardiac rehabilitation team provides the following cardiovascular services for those who have had a heart attack, heart surgery, angina (chest pain), or other heart-related issues.

Cardiovascular services

• Structured exercise and education programs
• Supervised exercise therapy for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD)
• Home heart recording system application: ZIO Patch
• Stress tests–exercise, pharmacological, echo, and nuclear stress tests
• Echocardiograms and bubble studies
• One-on-one tobacco cessation visits with a certified tobacco treatment specialist
• Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Tests for those with prolonged concussion recovery

Cardiovascular services are available in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City. To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Athletic training

Athletic training encompasses the areas of injury prevention, evaluation and rehabilitation as well as emergency management. It focuses on safe, optimal participation in sports and active lifestyles and getting back to the things you love following an injury.

With certified and licensed athletic trainers on the Welia Health team, we offer outreach services to area high schools in order to ensure the safety of our student-athletes and provide services for patient care and education within our clinics.

Athletic training services

• Local support for area high schools at practices and sporting events for assessing, treating and managing athlete injuries
• Concussion screening and assessment using VOMS (Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening) testing
• Safe Sports Schools – a certification that schools have for policies and procedures keeping athletes safe
• After-school athletic training room and event coverage
• Educational presentations regarding common injuries, their prevention and rehabilitation for coaches, athletes, parents and the community
• Fitting of and athlete education for use of protective and preventive equipment
• Free annual Minnesota High School Sports Physicals

Search the calendar of events for upcoming dates.

Unwavering advocates for sports safety, Welia Health certified athletic trainers support our local high schools in Mora, Hinckley, Pine City, Ogilvie, and East Central.

To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Common youth sports injuries

The most common injuries treated by our Sports Medicine team include:

• Sprains – Injury to a ligament, one of the bands of tough, fibrous tissue that connects two or more bones at a joint and prevents excessive movement of the joint. An ankle sprain is the most common athletic injury.
• Strains – Injury to either a muscle or a tendon. A muscle is a tissue composed of bundles of specialized cells that, when stimulated by nerve messages, contract and produce movement. A tendon is a tough, fibrous cord of tissue that connects muscle to bone. Muscles in any part of the body can be injured.
• Growth plate injuries – The area of developing tissues at the end of the long bones in growing children and adolescents. When growth is complete, sometime during adolescence, the growth plate is replaced by solid bone.
• Repetitive motion injuries – Stress fractures (a hairline fracture of the bone that has been subjected to repeated stress) and tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon) can occur from the overuse of muscles and tendons.
• Concussions – A type of traumatic brain injury. While the brain is cushioned by spinal fluid inside the skull when jarred and the brain hits the skull, blood vessels can tear and nerves inside the brain can be injured.

Keeping student-athletes safe

In addition to treating young athletes, our Sports Medicine specialists work with local coaches and high school athletic departments to prevent injuries.

• Concussion management includes comprehensive assessment and, if necessary, a tailored treatment plan.
• Safe School Certification — policies and procedures to keep athletes safe. Mora, Hinckley-Finlayson, Ogilvie and Pine City schools are Safe School Certified.
• The Minnesota State High School League provides all its member schools and their students with a free Concussion Insurance Program. Click here for all of the information.
• Support for area high schools at sporting events to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage athlete injuries
• Mora and Hinckley-Finlayson high school have been named Safe Sports Schools (SSS) by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the high quality of injury prevention offered through Welia Health and its Sports Medicine team. Welia athletic trainers also work alongside Mora, Hinckley, Pine City, Ogilvie, East Central, and Rush City high school sports teams.

Sport-specific safety information

Recommendations to help prevent injury.

Basketball

• Common injuries – Sprains, strains, bruises, fractures, scrapes, dislocations, cuts, injuries to teeth, ankles, and knees. Injury rates are higher in girls, especially for the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL, the wide ligament that limits rotation and forward movement of the shin bone.
• Safest playing with – Eye protection, elbow and knee pads, mouth guard, athletic supporters for males, proper shoes, water. If playing outdoors, wear sunscreen and, when possible, a hat.
• Injury prevention – Strength training (particularly knees and shoulders), aerobics (exercises that develop the strength and endurance of the heart and lungs), warm-up exercises, proper coaching, use of safety equipment

Football

• Common injuries – Bruises, sprains, strains, pulled muscles, tears to soft tissues such as ligaments, broken bones, internal injuries (bruised or damaged organs), concussions, back injuries, and sunburn. Knees and ankles are the most common injury sites.
• Safest playing with – Helmet, mouth guard, shoulder pads, athletic supporters for males, chest/rib pads, forearm, elbow, and thigh pads, shin guards, proper shoes, sunscreen, and water.
• Injury prevention – Proper use of safety equipment, warm-up exercises, proper coaching techniques and conditioning.

Baseball and softball

• Common injuries – Soft tissue strains, impact injuries that include fractures caused by sliding and being hit by a ball, and sunburn.
• Safest playing with – Batting helmet, shin guards, elbow guards, athletic supporters for males, mouth guard, sunscreen, cleats, hat, and detachable “breakaway bases” rather than traditional, stationary ones.
• Injury prevention – Proper conditioning and warm-ups.

Soccer

• Common injuries – Bruises, cuts and scrapes, headaches, and sunburn.
• Safest playing with – Shin guards, athletic supporters for males, cleats, sunscreen, and water.
• Injury prevention – Aerobic conditioning and warm-ups, and when age-appropriate, proper training in “heading” (that is, using the head to strike or make a play with the ball).

Gymnastics

• Common injuries – Sprains and strains of soft tissues.
• Safest playing with – Athletic supporters for males, safety harness, joint supports (such as neoprene wraps), and water.
• Injury prevention – Proper conditioning and warm-ups.

Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Concussion management

Concussions are no joking matter. The nature of this injury, and its prevalence, are enough to worry any parent. Welia takes concussions seriously and has a team dedicated to concussion awareness, prevention and treatment.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

Signs and symptoms generally show up soon after the injury. Children and teens may appear dazed or stunned, be forgetful, move clumsily, or show mood or behavior changes. Other symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, sluggishness, or “just not feeling right.”

Welia Health advocates for a full assessment for any child or teen who has experienced an impact to the head. This includes a comprehensive assessment including memory testing, cognitive function, balance, and a vestibular assessment (commonly known as VOMS). The information gained from the comprehensive assessment is used to create an individualized treatment plan to get your child feeling better and back to their activity safely.

Sports medicine-related injuries, including suspected concussions, are seen in Mora, Hinckley and Pine City.

To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.

Sports safety

As parents, we want to encourage our kids to be healthy and fit. Youth sports offer many benefits, not only for physical fitness but also for the development of social skills and learning about teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership.

Welia Health’s Sports Medicine team will work with your children and teens for all types of sports-related injuries and issues, whether they occur on or off the playing field. From acute injuries such as sprains and broken bones to pain resulting from overuse, the Welia Health Sports Medicine specialists are experts in accurately diagnosing the problem and providing the most suitable treatment.

Concussion management

Our team has experience and expertise in concussion management. Each child with a concussion undergoes a comprehensive assessment, including memory testing, cognitive function, balance, and a vestibular assessment (commonly known as VOMS). Computerized testing with ImPACT is also offered. The information gained from the comprehensive assessment is used to create an individualized treatment plan to get your child feeling better and back to their activity safely

Giving a perspective—youth sports injury statistics

As with any physical activity, the potential for injury is very real among youth participants. There are nearly 30 million children and adolescents that participate in youth sports within the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a number that is on the rise.

See common youth sports injuries.

Did you know that?

• High school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations each year.
• More than 3.5 million kids under the age of 14 receive some sort of medical treatment for sports injuries each year.
• Children ages 5 to 14 account for nearly 40 percent of all sports-related injuries treated in hospitals. On average, that rate and severity of injury increase with a child’s age.
• 62 percent of organized sports-related injuries occur during practice.
• 1/3 of parents do not have their children take the same safety precautions at practice that they would during a game.
• Overuse injuries are responsible for nearly 1/2 of all sports injuries to middle and high school kids.

Source: www.stopsportsinjuries.org

Keeping student athletes safe

In addition to treating young athletes, our Sports Medicine specialists work with local coaches and high school athletic departments to prevent injuries.

• Concussion screening and ImPACT ® (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing), an advanced, scientifically validated computerized concussion management system.
• Safe School Certification — policies and procedures to keep athletes safe. Mora, Hinckley-Finlayson, Ogilvie and Pine City schools are Safe School Certified.
• The Minnesota State High School League provides all its member schools and their students with a free Concussion Insurance Program.
• Support for area high schools at sporting events to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage athlete injuries
• Mora and Hinckley-Finlayson high school have been named Safe Sports Schools (SSS) by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) for the high quality of injury prevention offered through Welia Health and its Sports Medicine team. Welia athletic trainers also work alongside Mora, Hinckley, Pine City, Ogilvie, East Central, and Rush City high school sports teams.

To learn more, call Rehabilitation Services at 320.225.3356.

Welia Health’s rehabilitation team offers a wide range of services from sports medicine and athletic training, physical and occupational therapy, specialty care for cardiovascular and respiratory patients, pediatric therapy, hand therapy, speech-language pathology, wound care, and sleep medicine.