Physical Therapy

Disease, injury, and the wear and tear of life can weaken or damage muscles and joints, reducing mobility and quality of life. Located at the Henning Physical Therapy Clinic and the Wadena Rehabilitation Clinic, the physical therapists at Astera Health help improve movement and physical function, manage pain, and prevent permanent physical disability or slow its progression.

Who needs physical therapy?

Whether you’re a child, parent, grandparent, athlete, employee, or retiree, physical therapy can help you. Reasons to seek physical therapy at any age or stage include:

Amputation recovery
Arthritis pain
Balance issues, including vertigo
Concussion recovery
Orthopedic issues affecting the knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, foot, or other body part
Muscle sprains and strains
Overuse injuries
Pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy, and various women’s health issues
Post-surgical recovery
Stroke recovery

Temporomandibular joint pain
Treatment for spinal conditions
Vestibular/vertigo disorders

In addition to aiding in recovery and reducing pain, physical therapy can help prevent future injury. Proper therapy helps prevent falls, reduces your risk for athletic injury, and gives you increased confidence.

What to expect during your therapy sessions

At your first appointment, a physical therapist evaluates your overall health. You’ll discuss long-term health conditions and pain you’re experiencing. To diagnose and treat the cause of your pain and reduced function, the therapist will evaluate your ability to move in different ways.

Your therapist then develops a treatment plan. At Astera’s Henning and Wadena locations, physical therapy sessions take place in private, spacious treatment rooms and a specially designed gym, complete with the equipment you need to get stronger.

Equipment you may use during a therapy session includes:

Aerobic training equipment
Balance equipment
NuStep recumbent cross-trainers
Recumbent bicycles
Strength-training equipment
Treadmills

Your session may also include manual therapy. Your therapist holds and moves an affected body part through motions that target specific muscles or joints.

Before leaving a therapy session, your rehab team will teach you exercises to perform at home. It’s important to understand how and how often to perform these exercises. Completing these as directed helps further strengthen your body and aids in your recovery. So, ask questions to ensure you’re ready to perform them.

Specialty physical therapy services

Astera physical therapy provides access to several specialty services. A few we offer include:

Dry needling. The therapist guides a thin needle to areas causing pain or movement issues. Then, the needle is used to stimulate the troublesome muscles or tissue. This can help manage pain and movement impairment.
Neurologic condition therapy. Physical therapy can help you recover from a stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury. It can also help maximize function and minimize pain when living with multiple sclerosis or another neurologic condition.

Parkinson’s disease therapy. LSVT BIG therapy helps people with Parkinson’s disease recognize when their movements are slow or small. This knowledge helps retrain the brain to make bigger movements. Therapy takes place four days a week for around four weeks under the oversight of Astera’s LSVT-certified physical therapist. Provider or specialist referral is required.
Traction. Traction helps move bones and joints into the proper position to decrease pain and improve function. Traction helps return bones and joints to their proper position, decreasing pain and improving function.

Want help maintaining or regaining your strength, balance, and confidence? Call 218-631-3510 to schedule an appointment with the Astera Health physical therapy team.