Health Services
The Physical Therapy Department is a fully integrated service for inpatients and outpatients with facilities that also cater to handicapped patients. Our physical therapists are highly educated, competent, ambitious and dynamic, readily available for consultation to help you solve your problems. We have a comprehensive range of equipment available at LAU Medical Center to respond to your needs.
Our mission is to achieve excellence in assessing, treating, intervening, and educating our patients so they are incorporated along with their families, in establishing treatment goals. Our department provides a unique and individual approach to accessing patients; elaborating openly on their treatment plans according to medical care objectives with an attitude that secures comfort, compassion, privacy, and dignity for their family and them. Our participation in teaching and research activities has enabled us to provide our patients with the best physical therapy possible.
It is our vision to increase patient volume through the implementation of the following initiatives:
- An Obesity Center
- Pre-operative Assessments
- Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Pre-natal Education
- An Enhanced Preventive Gynecology Program
Our department provides a wide-range of fitness activities. The department provides programmed treatments for all kinds of medical specialization referrals, which include:
- Orthopedic & Spine Rehabilitation
- Sports Rehabilitation
- Pre & Post Partum
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Traumatology
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Uro-Gynecology
- Hydrotherapy
- Postural Rehabilitation
- Osteopathic
- Post-operative Rehabilitation
- Treatment of Cellulites
- Lymphatic Drainage
- Back School
- Child disability (IMC)
- Cranio-mandibular Disorders(TMJ)
Specialty Treatments Offered
Osteopathic Treatment
Osteopathic treatment is hands-on care. It involves using the hands to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. Our osteopathic physical therapist will move your muscles and joints using gentle techniques including stretching, fascia therapy, pompage, gentle pressure and resistance or manipulative treatment while following your physician’s guidelines and instructions.
Physical Therapy for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pelvic floor dysfunction affects people of all ages and can cause one or all of the following:
- Incontinence which is an involuntary leakage of the bowel and bladder. This condition sometimes results from weakness in the muscles of the pelvic floor.
- Pelvic floor muscle tension or pain. Muscle imbalances in the hips, pelvis or lower back can contribute to pelvic pain.
- IC-Interstitial Cystitis
- Rectal pain/levator ani spasm
Our program is also available for people experiencing incontinence or rectal spasms.
Sports Rehabilitation
Physical Therapy specializes in the care and treatment of athletes at any level (ranging from youth, high school, college, and recreational all the way up to professional levels.) This program is staffed with highly qualified professional Physical Therapists who are specialized in functionally based exercises. Their expertise includes agility and coordination drills that are to the athlete’s optimal recovery after an injury.
Orthopedic Physical Therapy
The vast majority of our patients come for general orthopedic injuries. We use a team approach to rehabilitate such diagnoses as post-surgical joint replacements, low back pain, sprains, strains, degenerative joint disease and fractures. With each patient, we create an individualized rehab program that could incorporate education, aquatic physical therapy, manual therapy (hands-on mobilizations to increase range of motion) and modalities (if needed to decrease pain or decrease swelling). Our emphasis throughout rehabilitation is to engage each patient in functional exercises, so they can return to the activities of their daily lives.
Chest physical Therapy
We provide chest physical therapy for in and out patients especially for children. Results have found that the potential benefit of using chest techniques and breathing exercises as an added treatment is that it possibly prevents or decreases the need for excessive overuse of antibiotics.
Method for the Treatment of Scoliosis in Adolescents and Adults
We offer a specialty service employing the Mézières Method and re-education postural global as a unique approach to patient care with spine deformities. This approach allows us to:
- Teach patients how to prevent illness and injury by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Look at the whole person to reach a diagnosis without focusing just on symptoms.
- Help the body to heal itself.
- Believe that all parts of the body work together and influence one another.
We provide the best care that preventive physical therapy has to offer.
Historical Highlights
Our department was opened in 1987 and employed only one physical therapist. In 1989, an expansion of the department on the 2nd ground floor was completed with the introduction of a gymnasium used for stretching courses (pioneers in Lebanon). Three courses per day were offered four days a week with a total of 70-80 participants.
The department gradually expanded with new methods of treatment established, along with new equipment acquired. Pre natal exercises, treatment of scoliosis and the deformities of the spine were added in 1992. Outside of the department’s clinical functions, teaching activities became the point of interests and attraction for physical therapy students and trainees alike. In 1996, the lypatic drainage procedure started with pressotherapy, and uro-gynecology rehabilitation was introduced the following year.Esthetic treatment was initiated and made available in 2001.
By 2004, the Physical Therapy Department was relocated to the 2nd floor of the Building C with direct access to the department through the parking of the hospital (situated in the same building). A relaxing setting is presented that attracts many to our fitness center (the first fitness center inside a hospital in Lebanon) after initiating hydrotherapy, yoga courses, and sophrology sessions.
Our fitness center offers an original and quasi-unique structure thanks to its integration in a hospital environment joining together all the means of safety at a technical, medical and human level. Moreover, being committed to quality care and practicing international standards, the Physical Therapy Department at LAU Medical Center – Rizk Hospital has a renowned reputation and is considered a referral center for many orthopedic surgeons outside the hospital (20- 25% of outpatients are referred from physicians from others hospitals).
This department receives and treats patients with minor disabilities. Patients that need long-term rehabilitation and specific treatment such as paraplegics, quadriplegics, hemiplegics, are referred to specialized rehabilitation centers. Short-term rehabilitation treatment is provided to these patients during their hospitalization.