Programs & Equipment
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Physical Therapy Department is staffed with experienced, energetic and passionate therapists who are trained in a variety of methods and have access to an array of cutting-edge equipment.
Programs
Aquatic Therapy
An on-site state-of-the-art SwimEx pool enables patients to take advantage of underwater therapy. The SwimEx™ therapy pool offers a complete isokinetic aquatic therapy system, which provides many advantages for patients that are rehabilitating. Due to the therapy pool's versatility, PAMF's physical therapists are able to gradually progress patients from non-weight-bearing activities to different levels of weight-bearing activities while in the pool. The SwimEx pool also allows the therapists to monitor a patient's progress through a range of available depth and resistance settings. In addition, an underwater treadmill can be used to add even more variety to the patient's therapy.
Pilates
Physical therapists who are also certified Pilates instructors work with patients on various Pilates equipment including a reformer, trapeze table and mat. PAMF's Pilates instructors are trained through Polestar Pilates, a rehabilitation-based method, and Power Pilates, a classical-based method. Pilates-based exercises help patients improve strength, stamina, stability, flexibility, balance, coordination and posture. Pilates is suitable for a wide range of people, from the sedentary individual to the elite athlete.
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Equipment
The Physical Therapy Department's facility includes the following state-of-the-art equipment to further assist patients' rehabilitation.
Alter-G Trainer™
The Alter-G Trainer™ treadmill allows patients to exercise with reduced body weight resulting in minimal impact on the body. Using the Alter-G Trainer treadmill as part of a comprehensive physical therapy plan allows patients to rehabilitate and recover faster and experience fewer secondary effects than was previously possible with other equipment.
Biodex Gait Trainer
The Biodex Gait Trainer™ provides audio and visual feedback of a person's gait (walking) pattern while using the treadmill. This modern technology helps patients develop a more symmetrical gait by improving their step length, speed and right-to-left time distribution.
Biodex Training/Testing™
The Biodex Isokinetics System™ provides PAMF's physical therapists the ability to accurately test and train a patient's isolated joints and surrounding muscles in biomechanically correct positions and speeds. Biodex Isokinetics allows therapists to measure three key components in a patient's rehabilitation:
- The patient's functional disability, or need
- The patient's response to physical therapy and rehabilitation, or progress
- The patient's return to function, or outcome
- Game Ready™ Accelerated Recovery System
Olympic Lift Station
The Olympic Lift Station is a free weight-lifting station that allows for the most intense and functional of all weight training routines. Even the most serious weight lifters will benefit from the Olympic Lift Station.
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