• Kessler Rehabilitation Center Opens in Parlin, NJ at the Sayrebrook Towne Center

    Posted on 10/22/2020

    Kessler is proud to announce the opening of its newest outpatient physical therapy center on November 2, located at 2909 Washington Road, Parlin, NJ.  This new facility, located by the Shop Rite in the Sayrebrook Towne Center, replaces our South Amboy location, allowing our staff to treat our patients in a more convenient and updated environment. 

    The center, part of a statewide network of more than 100 locations, offers services to individuals with sports, orthopedic and work-related injuries and arthritic conditions. They treat patients of all ages and specialize in neuro and vestibular rehabilitation for balance, dizziness and concussion disorders. No prescription is necessary* to schedule an appointment.

    “We are excited to bring the highest standard of physical therapy services to Parlin, Sayreville and the surrounding communities,” said center manager Melissa Chendorain, P.T. DPT. She is joined at the center by Eliza Ferrer, P.T., DPT and Lisa Riccardi, PTA.

    Rich Romano, Kessler’s vice president of business development added that “all Kessler centers are following strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including screening protocols, temperature checks, social distancing and masking to keep patients and employees safe during these challenging times.” 

    Kessler Rehabilitation Centers accept most insurance plans, offer flexible scheduling and virtual tele-rehab services for patients unable to visit. 

    For more information, or to request an appointment, click here or please call (732) 525-0123. No prescription is required (restrictions may apply).*

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  • Posted on 10/21/2020

    As recently as five years ago, if you had Googled ‘esports athletes,’ you may very well have come across many sarcastic comments about how they aren’t real athletes. In 2020, you will find items about their tremendous hand-eye coordination, work ethic and the degree to which they work to hone their craft.

    You’ll also find the following: esports are growing at a tremendous rate, for both participants and in terms of viewership. Nearly 100 million people watched the League of Legends World Championships in 2018. There are more than 1.2 billion players of esports worldwide. It is expected that there will be $1.1 billion dollars of revenue generated by worldwide esports in 2020.

    Much like their colleagues in traditional sports, esports athletes place a demand on their bodies that can sometimes be detrimental to their physical health. Unlike traditional athletes, these negative effects rarely start with one-time injuries and are not often obvious. I have had the privilege to work as a physical therapist with the Harrisburg University Storm esports program and have seen problems ranging from carpal tunnel syndrome, to tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), to nerve entrapments and neck and upper back pain.

    For the gamers at Harrisburg U, we take a comprehensive approach. They often train many hours a day, so things like load management, which is often discussed in regard to the National Basketball Association and National Football League, is a very real thing that our physical therapists advise for gamers. The gamers at Harrisburg U workout with a personal trainer multiple times every week. We help coordinate with their personal trainer what they should be doing with upper extremities during these sessions so they aren’t overloading muscles in the arms and hands.

    As with many problems that physical therapists address, a problem in one area can be rooted elsewhere, such that an unnoticed postural problem an lead to pain in the wrist or hand. Positioning is very important for gamers and maintaining proper posture is key, so targeted exercises for their postural muscles are a must. Sometimes correcting this can be the difference to the pain in their hands. Basic sports medicine principles like stretching, warming up and using ice after practice and competition are also vital.

    Esports is a burgeoning field both as a profession and as an avocation. Much like their counterparts in traditional sports, they place high demand on key muscle groups and face the risk of injury or pain. This is true for professional and collegiate players and weekend warriors. Just as we do with any athletes, physical therapists play an important role in prevention, management and recovery from injury for the esports athlete.

    By: Bryan Hoyt, MSPT, CEAS. Bryan is a physical therapist and regional director of operations for Select Physical Therapy in central Pennsylvania. 

     



  • spilled pill bottle

    Posted on 10/12/2020

    For the management of some types of pain, prescription opioids can certainly help. However, there is not enough evidence to support prolonged opioid use for chronic pain. We sat down with Katie McBee, P.T., DPT, OCS, M.S., CEAS II, PYT-C, regional director of our WorkStrategies Program, to ask her a few questions regarding opioid use, chronic pain and the benefits of physical therapy as a safe alternative to prescription medication. 

    1. In your opinion, what are the main reasons for the opioid epidemic in the United States?

    There is no simple explanation as to what caused the opioid epidemic in the United States. Opiates are not a new drug and have been abused at other time periods in American history, but not nearly to the extent that is happening now. For example, with health care access issues due to COVID-19, opioid prescription rates are on the rise with death rates up 30% since the pandemic’s onset.

    Initial research on opiate medications said they were effective and safe and addiction was rare when used for short-term pain.1 The development of FDA approved OxyContin in 1995 had labeling that stated iatrogenic addiction was “very rare,” and a widespread marketing campaign to physicians started to build medical providers’ confidence in prescribing these medications to decrease pain-related suffering.2 Add to that the 2001 standards implemented by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations for organizations to improve their care of patients with pain medication and this is probably what catalyzed the beginning of our current opioid epidemic.  

    With medical providers focused on pain as a vital sign, pain quickly became the enemy and had to be eradicated to show successful management for many conditions with an increased focus on post-operative pain management. As drugs became more widely available, aggressively advertised and culturally acceptable, a three-fold increase in prescription rates for these medications ensued. With the increase in opioid prescription rates, death rates from side effects also increased by three-fold to more 16,000 in 2011. 

    2. What is the difference between chronic pain versus pain suffered as a result of an injury? 

    Pain is a mechanism designed to protect us from harm. Pain is not the enemy. A common misconception about pain is that it is not a simple cause/effect relationship. The amount of injury does not equal the amount of pain we experience. Pain is a complex process based on many areas of the nervous system and the brain communicating together to let us know what we need to prioritize and protect. The more threatening the brain perceives something, the more we potentially feel pain. 

    Acute pain or pain suffered immediately after an injury or surgery to the body’s tissues is a protection mechanism from the brain to remind you to protect the area so that no further harm is done. As the tissue heals and time passes, there is less threat of injury so the brain stops signaling, the pain eases and you slowly get back to normal activities. 

    In chronic pain, the tissues are not signaling danger to the brain as much as they are in acute pain. When the brain perceives threat for extended periods, it starts to change the nervous system to become a pain-producing machine. It creates new nerve junctions to make things hurt that wouldn’t normally hurt, like light touch on the skin. It can decrease the amount of pressure needed to create a pain signal. It creates more chemicals along the nervous system so it can create greater pain experiences with fewer stimuli. Research is still trying to figure out why some individuals have pain that goes away as the tissues heal and others have pain that persists despite the fact that the tissue has healed.

    Individuals can be at risk of developing chronic or persistent pain for a number of reasons, including unhelpful coping strategies, stress, chronic illness and poor sleep habits. It appears the more emotional or physical stress going on at the time of the injury and/or during the healing process, the more at risk you can be of developing a persistent pain issue. A holistic approach to address some of these drivers of persistent pain is showing promise in being able to reduce the pain and get people with chronic pain back into their normal lives again.

    3. Why is physical therapy important and what are some of the benefits to patients? 

    Physical therapy is an ideal treatment for many types of acute and chronic pain and should be a part of any single or multidisciplinary treatment plan for pain. The goal of physical therapy is to increase function and keep people in their meaningful life activities while they are healing. Physical therapists are trained to address many of the drivers of chronic pain and can perform testing and screening to see if your pain system is sensitized and adjust treatment to desensitize the pain system as well as address the functional limitations many people often experience when they are in pain.  

    Physical therapists have many tools they can use to decrease pain and desensitize the pain system. These tools include education on pain to discover what could be driving pain issues. Once the pain drivers are discovered, a physical therapist will develop a holistic plan to address these drivers, including increased activity, sleep hygiene, stress management skills and pacing techniques. 

    The best thing about physical therapy for pain is that the outcomes for some of the techniques are better than many medications and procedures available; plus, there are no negative side effects. If you or someone you know has an issue with pain, please request an appointment today to begin physical therapy treatment. 
    References

    1. Porter J, Jick H.  Addiction rare in patients treated with narcotics. N Engl J Med. 1980;302:123.
    2. Van Zee A. The promotion and marketing of OxyContin: commercial triumph, public health tragedy. Am J Public Health. 20:99 (2):221-227.


  • Posted on 10/7/2020

    Up until a few months ago, my life as a physical therapist was pretty normal. I went to work, did my job, helped my patients and team to the best of my ability and went back home. At the time I was working in a critical illness recovery hospital with some of the sickest patients in my geographic area, people recovering from major trauma and significant illnesses. I was part of a great team, but it was heavy work. I felt myself becoming burnt out and struggling to do my best work. I have done hospital-based and outpatient work throughout my career, so I began to think that a transfer to Select Medical’s Outpatient Division might be my next move.

    Fast forward a few months and interviews later and I accepted a site supervisor position at an outpatient center. About a month into my new role, COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the world. It was a daily pivot in terms of center operations and managing a team during a global crisis. I was also in a really unique position because I had spent almost 10 years working in critical illness, learning about cardiopulmonary physical therapy, infectious diseases and protective equipment. I felt confident I could lead my team effectively with the best information I had. As we started to move through the pandemic, our greater area was looking for someone to help lead a developing COVID-19 recovery program and I felt uniquely qualified.

    Select Medical’s clinical team had put together a top-notch Recovery and Reconditioning Program for those compromised by a variety of acute and chronic conditions, such as after-effects of the flu and cardiovascular disease. Developed in partnership with leading physicians, including physiatrists and infectious disease specialists, the program focuses on identifying key areas of deconditioning and weakness in patients. Select Medical’s licensed physical and occupational therapist are specially trained in the program, with each clinician having access to the most up-to-date COVID-19 information, best practices and safety precautions.

    Physical, occupational and speech therapy is critical in helping COVID-19 survivors get back to their lives and jobs. This virus can be extremely debilitating on its own, and even worse when combined with the effects of limited mobility during hospitalizations, prolonged mechanical ventilation or additional medical complications. As physical rehabilitation professionals, we are uniquely qualified to work with these patients to:

    • Increase mobility, balance and stability
    • Decrease pain, soreness and general fatigue
    • Improve range of motion and breathing capability
    • Address cognitive impairments, dizziness and weakness
    • Ensure a safe recovery to activities of daily living  

    Our clinical team believes firmly in safety first and have put out guidelines for monitoring patients to ensure we are exercising them hard enough to make progress, but not overstress their systems. We are also educating these survivors on how to monitor themselves during home exercises or simple household activities like cleaning and chores.

    While this global pandemic has had a lot of challenges and negative aspects, when I really step back and look at the whole picture I am impressed with how we positioned ourselves. Every day, we are committed to putting patients first, keeping patients and clinicians safe and assisting those who have survived COVID-19 back to their highest quality of life. That’s something to be proud of, and we look forward to helping more and more heal through our Recovery and Reconditioning Program.

    To learn more about our program or to schedule an appointment today, please click here.

    By: Erica R. Noel, P.T., MSPT. Erica is a physical therapist with Banner Physical Therapy in Phoenix, AZ. Banner and NovaCare are part of the Select Medical Outpatient Division family of brands.

     

  • Posted on 10/2/2020

    It's official, our favorite month of the year is here: National Physical Therapy Month. Please join us as we celebrate our amazing team members and the power of physical therapy throughout October. #NPTM2020 #ChoosePT #ThePowerOfPhysicalTherapy

    View our National Physical Therapy Month video


  • Avenel Center

    Posted on 8/6/2020

    Kessler Rehabilitation Center opened its newest outpatient physical therapy center on August 3 in Station Village, 164 Avenel St., Avenel, New Jersey.

    The center offers rehabilitation services to individuals with sports, orthopedic and work-related injuries, arthritic conditions and balance disorders. In addition, it provides two specialized programs: ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation and blood flow restriction therapy, which can help increase strength through low-intensity exercise.

    “We are excited to bring the highest standard of physical therapy services to Avenel and the surrounding communities,” said Rich Romano, Kessler’s vice president of business development.

    Kessler’s 100-plus centers located throughout the state follow strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including screening protocols, temperature checks and masking to keep patients and employees safe during these challenging times.

    Kessler Rehabilitation Centers accept most insurance plans, offer flexible scheduling and virtual tele-rehab services to patients unable to visit.

    For more information, or to request an appointment, click here or call 732-582-5454. No prescription is required (restrictions may apply).

    Follow Kessler on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


  • Woodcliff Lake Location

    Posted on 8/6/2020

    Kessler Rehabilitation opened a new outpatient physical therapy center on August 3,  in Woodcliff Lake Commons, 62 Broadway, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

    The center, part of a statewide network of more than 100 locations, offers services to individuals with sports, orthopedic and work-related injuries, arthritic conditions, balance and concussion disorders.

    “We are excited to bring the highest standard of physical therapy services to Woodcliff Lake and the surrounding communities,” said center manager Udani Silva, P.T., DPT, OCS.

    Rich Romano, Kessler’s vice president of business development added that  “all Kessler centers are following strict Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, including screening protocols, temperature checks and masking to keep patients and employees safe during these challenging times.”

    Kessler Rehabilitation Centers accept most insurance plans, offer flexible scheduling and virtual tele-rehab services for patients unable to visit.

    Click here for more information or to request an appointment, or call 551-249-0930. No prescription is required (restrictions may apply).

    Follow Kessler on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


  • Posted on 4/24/2020

    At Kessler Rehabilitation Center, there is nothing more important to us than your health and safety during this unprecedented time. The Department of Homeland Security and state governments have deemed physical therapy an essential component of health care during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; therefore, many of our centers remain open to serve those in need. We are taking extensive preventative measures, guided by the CDC, to protect our patients and employees who enter our centers.

    We hope that by providing this information, you can make a clear decision to continue your plan of care with us during this time. The following protocols are now in place:

    • Patient Screening: All center patients are screened at the time of their appointment confirmation phone call. For centers located in our inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, patients are screened prior to admission. This process includes taking patients’ temperatures. Patients presenting any level of symptoms do not receive therapy until they are cleared.
    • Staff Screening: All employees are screened daily upon arrival at the center, including temperature monitoring. Those presenting any level of symptoms are removed from the center and undergo the required 14-day self-quarantine, not returning to the center until they are cleared. 
    • Masking: All therapists are universally masked and we are now requiring patients in our centers to be masked as well. 
    • Telerehab: Offering Telerehab to all patients who would prefer to be treated in the safety and comfort of their home.
    • Hygiene Protocols: Continuous reinforcement with staff regarding hand washing. In addition, general environmental controls are in place, including deep cleaning of centers with EPA approved cleaners.
    • Procurement Audit: Assessment of equipment and supplies to ensure centers are fully prepared to handle potential exposure to COVID-19.
    • Employee Safety: Ongoing education and communication to all center employees. 

    That said, if you do not feel comfortable coming to a center for care during this time, we will gladly reschedule your appointment for a later date. In addition, many of our locations are now offering Telerehab services so that you can easily connect with one of our licensed therapists through web-based technology that is HIPAA compliant. Learn more about Telerehab.

    For patients coming to our centers for care, we ask that you please limit the number of people who accompany you to your appointments, unless they are necessary for transportation or assistance. If for any reason you are not feeling well, please contact the center and we will be happy to reschedule your appointment.

    To help prevent the virus:

    • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
    • Stay home when you are sick.
    • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
    • Clean/disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

    Thank you for helping us ensure the safety of our patients and employees, as well as families of both.


  • montgomery new center

    Posted on 7/24/2020

    Kessler Rehabilitation opened its newest center in Montgomery at 21 Belle Mead Griggstown Road, Route 206, on Monday, July 6. The center, located in the Belle Mead Plaza, offers outpatient physical therapy services to individuals with sports and orthopedic injuries, arthritic conditions, balance disorders and work-related injuries. In addition, the center provides specialized cancer treatment through its ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation program. “We are excited to bring the highest standard of physical therapy services to Montgomery and the surrounding communities,” said Rich Romano, Kessler’s vice president of business development. “All Kessler centers are following strict CDC guidelines including screening protocols, temperature checks and masking to keep our patients and employees safe during these challenging times.” Kessler Rehabilitation Center accepts most insurance plans, offers flexible scheduling and virtual telerehab services to patients unable to visit the center for care. The Montgomery center is part of a network of more than 100 Kessler Rehabilitation Center locations throughout the state and is currently scheduling appointments. For more information or to request an appointment today, please call 908.533.7733. No prescription is required.

     

    Kessler Rehabilitation Center accepts most insurance plans, offers flexible scheduling and the convenience of multiple centers in the area to best meet your needs. Click here to make an appointment or for more information, call 866.33.REHAB.

    Follow Kessler on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


  • Posted on 3/27/2020

    Kessler Rehabilitation Center now offers physical, occupational and speech therapy from the comfort and safety of your home through our Telerehab program.

    If you're limited by travel, injury or a weakened immune system, we will virtually bring our services to you so you may heal, build strength and get back to the things you love.

    What is Telerehab?

    Telerehab lets you easily connect with one of our licensed therapists through web-based technology, all from the convenience of your home. Sessions are delivered one-on-one in real-time, and are private, secure and adhere to HIPAA requirements.

    How does it work?

    Telerehab sessions may be offered in place of or in addition to in person center sessions, dependent upon your condition and preference. All you need is a computer or device with a camera, microphone and internet access to begin.

    • Simply click a link we'll send you - no downloads or accounts necessary!
    • Just like the care you'd receive in our center, we'll cover:
      • Pertinent paperwork
      • Exercises, education and techniques to address your pain and impairments
      • Instruction on how to best move forward with your therapy program

    Our physical, occupational and speech therapists will work with you to make sure Telerehab is right for you. No prescription or physician referral is needed. Our goal is to help you feel better physically while making sure you're comfortable and an active partner throughout your treatment. For more information about Telerehab, call 866.33.REHAB.