Water's buoyancy, viscosity and hydrostatic pressure help support a patient's body, providing resistance and assistance to improve movement and reduce pain and swelling.

Our aquatic therapies are offered in the heated SwimEx® pool-the only one of  its kind in Bellevue. The pool's adjustable depths allow for gravity-eliminated rehabilitation and progressive weight-bearing exercise programs. There are eight workstations for plyometrics, open- and closed-kinetic exercises and deep-water ambulation.

Patients who have benefited from aquatic therapy have conditions such as arthritis, degenerative joint disease, fibromyalgia, acute or chronic pain, pre- and post-surgical needs, low back pain, headaches, balance and walking difficulties.

Hillcrest Physical Therapy is the only outpatient rehabilitation program in Sarpy County offering Balance Master® technology. Balance Master® helps the clinician objectively assess and retrain patients' sensory and voluntary motor systems of balance. This computerized system provides feedback that allows patients to improve their physical functioning and learn strategies to manage balance disorders.

Retraining of sensory balance skills.
Standardized assessment protocols include weight-bearing symmetry, sensory interaction on balance, voluntary motor control and neuromuscular coordination, which provide impairment information needed for effective treatment planning.

Vestibular Therapy

Therapy interventions include vestibular repositioning techniques, fall risk education and desensitization activities.

Weight bearing symmetry training.
Systematic training protocols include seated balance and strength training, standing balance and weight-bearing training, mobility training and closed-chain training.

Patients who have benefited from balance therapies have conditions such as dizziness, Parkinson's disease, vertigo, history of falling, orthopedic disorders, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies, vestibular disorders and strokes.

 

Hillcrest Physical Therapy includes the disciplines of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy with space, equipment and programs to support all three of these disciplines.  With that, we can offer patients recovering from stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury and other catastrophic illnesses/diseases/injuries comprehensive therapy to return the patient back to the highest level of functioning.  We are the only outpatient therapy clinic in the Bellevue community to offer this comprehensive therapy program.

At Hillcrest we have the facilities and expertise to serve the unique needs of patients who have received a total joint replacement.  From utilizing the Balance Master®, equipment in the 10,000 square foot rehab gym, to the aquatic environment, we have the equipment patients need to return to their previous functional level.  Our outpatient physical therapists have been working with area physicians nearly ten years and have the experience to address complications as they arise.

Kathy Ramaekers, OTR/L, CHT, is our occupational therapist with extensive years of experience and expertise in outpatient upper extremity and hand-therapy programs. Kathy is a Board Certified Hand Therapist.

Retraining in daily living activities Seating and positioning assessments	Fine- or gross-motor skill retraining Equipment needs assessments

Our professional staff provides individualized manual therapies to complement a comprehensive rehabilitation program and expedite patient healing. Our therapists provide hands-on skilled interventions, which may include the following manual therapy techniques:

Soft tissue mobilization Peripheral joint mobilization Spinal joint mobilization Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)

Manual traction Muscle energy techniques Pilates-based approaches

Our osteoporosis program is based on the benefits of exercise to maintain and increase bone density in adulthood and improve posture and risk of falls. For people diagnosed with osteoporosis, our physical therapists can recommend and instruct you on specific exercises to strengthen and support your back, teach you safe ways of moving and carrying out your daily activities and a home exercise program that is tailored to your circumstances. An assessment of your fall risk is an important component of this program also.

Our comprehensive management program includes manual lymphedema mamassage, extremity wrapping, referral and instruction on compressive garments, home exercise programs, skin protection education, and other therapies as needed.  We stress the educational aspect of edema management because we feel that this  enables the patient to take control of their health and condition.

Driving is a very complex skill that requires certain physical, visual, and mental abilities.  A driving evaluation determines the impact that a disability caused by injury, disease, or age has on the ability to drive safely.  Our Driver Rehabilitation Program includes a behind the Wwheel driving assessment as well as a clinical assessment.  The goal of a driving evaluation is to explore ways for individuals to drive independently and safely for a longer period of time.  Additional occupational, physical and/or speech therapy might be recommended to achieve safe driving again.

The Saebo Arm Training Program is a specialized arm rehabilitation program designed to treat a patient with arm and hand functional loss following a neurological injury such as a stroke. It is the only program that allows a patient to incorporate their involved hand functionally with grasp and release task-specific activities that are volitionally based.

VitalStim® Therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering with difficulty swallowing or dysphagia. It was developed in response to the 15 million Americans living with dysphagia today. VitalStim® Therapy is a non-invasive, external electrical stimulation therapy cleared to market by the FDA in December 2002. The therapy uses specifically designed electrodes applied to the muscles of the throat to promote proper swallowing. No other NMES therapy or electrode carries FDA clearance for the treatment of dysphagia.  Jill Hunter and Jenny Armstrong, both speech therapists at Hillcrest Physical Therapy are certified to provide this therapy.

DEEP PHARYNGEAL NEUROMUSCULAR STIMULATION PROGRAM (DPNS) is a therapeutic program that restores muscle strength and reflexes within the pharynx (throat) for improved efficient swallow function. DPNS has shown that the more stimulation input via multiple cranial nerve tracks, within the pharynx, improves swallow function significantly.

Hillcrest Physical Therapy's wellness programs, set in an inviting atmosphere, are led by our helpful professional staff who are dedicated to helping you meet you rehabilitation and physical fitness goals.

Wellness Center activities include individualized strength and aerobic conditioning programs using Life Fitness strength equipment, treadmills, low-impact steppers, stationary bicycles, a cushioned walking and jogging track, and a cushioned aerobic floor.