In addition to their comprehensive approach, Athens Therapeutics offers numerous programs to address the multiple facets of a person's health. Some of these programs may be part of a patient's physical therapy treatment plan while others are programs available to the general public. The programs are as follows:
Aquatic Therapy
Through our relationship with the YWCO, Athens Therapeutics patients have the ability to perform exercises in a heated pool under the guidance of a skilled therapist. Aquatic Therapy is often part of a patient's treatment program when traditional exercise is either too difficult or too painful due to arthritic, neurological or other conditions.
Aquatic therapy uses the physical properties of water to assist in patient healing and exercise performance. One benefit of aquatic therapy is the buoyancy provided by the water. While submerged in water, buoyancy assists in supporting the weight of the patient. This decreases the amount of weight bearing which reduces the force of stress placed on the joints. This aspect of aquatic therapy is especially useful for patients with arthritis, healing fractured bones, or who are overweight. By decreasing the amount of joint stress it is easier and less painful to perform exercises.
The viscosity of water provides an excellent source of resistance that can be easily incorporated into an aquatic therapy exercise program. This resistance allows for muscle strengthening without the need of weights. Using resistance coupled with the water’s buoyancy allows a person to strengthen muscle groups with decreased joint stress that can not be experienced on land.
Furthermore, the warmth of the water experienced during aquatic therapy assists in relaxing muscles and vasodilates vessels, increasing blood flow to injured areas. Patients with muscle spasms, back pain, and fibromyalgia find this aspect of aquatic therapy especially therapeutic.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Pilates
Through Athens Therapeutics relationship with Teresa Morneault, PT and Body in Motion, Inc, patients will have access to one on one training and rehabilitation using the Pilates method and equipment. Sessions may be part of a patient’s ongoing physical therapy program or are available as an adjunct or aftercare intervention to maintain the goals met during physical therapy.
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. The program focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and are essential for providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles. In modern times, Pilates have become a very popular form of exercise because of the results the method yields with strength, flexibility, posture and body image.
There are various training programs within the Pilates community. Polestar, Physical Mind Institute, Power and Stott are some of the better known ones. Teresa’s training, The Polestar Pilates “Rehab Series”, requires that you be a doctor, physical therapist or chiropractor. While staying true to Joseph Pilates’ overall vision, individual programs are designed to specifically address areas of weakness, dysfunction and asymmetry. Unlike “classical” Pilates, a specific protocol or order of exercises is not followed. An instructor with Polestar Pilates training may be more appropriate if you are recovering from an injury or medical condition, if you have ever been injured doing Pilates, or if you are timid about beginning an exercise program.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Women's Health
Through our expertise in manual therapy, exercise, aquatic therapy, nutrition and stress management Athens Therapeutics provides relief and results for numerous health concerns of women including incontinence, pelvic/ vaginal pain, prenatal and postpartum musculosketelal pain, osteoporosis, rehabilitation following breast surgery, lymphedema. All females across the life span, from the young athlete, the childbearing woman, the menopausal and elderly woman could benefit from this specialized area of our physical therapy approach.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Nearly one million people visit the ER as a result of a fall each year. One third of adults over the age of 65 fall at least one time a year. Many of these falls result from balance deficits which may include dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation is a form of physical therapy designed to treat patients experiencing dizziness and balance losses. This includes treatment of patients with vertigo (BPPV), cervicogenic vertigo (related to neck problems), labrynthitis/vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s disease, and balance disorders related to neurological diagnoses such as stroke, head injury, and neuropathy. The primary goals of vestibular rehabilitation are to eliminate these symptoms and to prevent falls.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Kids First
In this modern world of over-stimulation and sugar laden diets, our children are frequently subjected to labeling because of their behavior. More children are being diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome and other neuro-behavioral disorders than ever before. Often, the child is not given many options and treatment is usually limited to drug interventions. The goal of Athens Therapeutics’ pediatric physical therapy program, Kids First, is to offer an effective alternative approach to help these children meet their full potential.
The program is a multifaceted approach to address many childhood issues such as the aforementioned behavioral issues as well as movement disorders from neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and other medical issues such as asthma, nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) and joint pain. A main component in this comprehensive approach is structural rehabilitation with Integrative Manual Therapy. With IMT, tension and restrictions in the child’s body is assessed and corrected with gentle hands-on techniques. Functional rehabilitation is achieved with home exercise programs and through the ancient practice of Yoga which helps foster the child’s strength, flexibility, balance, attention, focus, and respect. The child achieves these goals through breath work, balance exercises and gentle discipline. Other aspects of the program include nutritional support, stress management, and extensive education for the parents about nutrition, communication and other behavior modification strategies through our Parenting Support Groups. These services at Athens Therapeutics are covered in full by Medicaid and Peachcare and they are in network with most insurance companies.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Occupational Therapy
In addition to our skilled Physical Therapy services, Athens Therapeutics also provides Occupational Therapy. Occupational Therapists specialize in rehabilitation of the hand and upper extremity including treatment of arthritis of the hands. Treatment often includes splinting for hand, wrist or forearm issues. Occupational therapy also specialize in treatment of fine motor skills and visual perceptual issues, sensory integration rehabilitation for children, adaptive equipment fitting and activities of daily living training (dressing, bathing, hygiene) for seniors & the disabled.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Yoga for Kids
In addition to the exercise programs children and parents are given to do at home, our Yoga for Kids program is an essential form of functional rehabilitation. This program helps to foster the child's strength, flexibility, balance, attention, focus, concentration and respect for yourself as well as others. The child achieves these goals through breath work, balance exercises and gentle discipline.
For pediatric patients of Athens Therapeutics, this form of therapeutic exercise may be an important part of a child’s treatment plan. The sessions are lead by licensed physical therapists in conjunction with an experienced yoga therapist. While our manual therapy treatments open the potential for improved function, therapeutic exercise with yoga will help integrate those structural corrections, reeducate normal movement and promote calmness and focus.
The classes have three sections. The first is a ‘Dharma’ talk in which the children are given an open forum to express themselves while also practicing proper posture and active listening skills. During this portion of the class the children will learn about respect, nutrition, and other important lessons. The second section of the class is the ‘Asana’ or movement portion of the class. The asana (or series of movements and poses) include postures which require balance and attentiveness. The last portion of the class is ‘Chavasana’ or relaxation pose. It is a time for the children to lie quietly, focus on their own breathing and learn to calm themselves. Guided imagery is used to help the children obtain this state of quiet and focus.
These yoga classes offer children with attention deficit, behavioral disorders or movement issues tools to improve themselves. Imagine an attention deficit child sitting and observing his own breath for an extended period. Impossible, right?? Well how often has that child been given the opportunity to exercise their attention? Imagine a child with balance and movement issues. How often is the child encouraged to challenge their balance so they may strengthen proprioception (body awareness) and improve ease of movement? Yoga is a form of functional rehabilitation that will provide this sort of constructive challenge.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Yoga for Adults
Yoga is a unique and invigorating form of therapeutic exercise that integrates movement, breathing, and body/mind awareness. It is an ancient practice which has effectively helped many people obtain and maintain optimal health. As a rehabilitative practice, yoga is an effective way to reeducate normal movement, cultivate focus, and improve energy level. For patients of Athens Therapeutics, this form of therapeutic exercise may be an important part of your treatment plan. At Athens Therapeutics, gentle manual therapy is our primary modality for restoring structural integrity and opening healing potential in the body. Yoga is an amazing tool for integrating those structural corrections and facilitating normal movement. The overall goal for any patient is for them to be able to perform daily activities with more mobility, less stress, and decreased fatigue. Yoga contributes towards achieving this goal through a combination of movement and strengthening exercises as well as breath work and relaxation. The improvements it yields will help the patient progress towards achieving their clinical goals for physical therapy. The sessions are lead by licensed physical therapists in conjunction with an experienced yoga therapist.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
The Lending Library
In effort to promote wellness and health education, Athens Therapeutics maintains a library of books, books-on-tape, CD's, videos, DVD's and other media on a wide variety of health and wellness topics. Items from the library are free for clients to borrow for up to 30 days and cover a wide variety of subjects including anatomy, physiology, nutrition, exercise, religion and spirituality, psychology, parenting, yoga, meditation, lifestyle, and much more.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Community Wellness Evenings
In an effort to promote health and wellness throughout the community, Athens Therapeutics presents Community Wellness Evenings. Community Wellness Evenings are open to the general public and are completely free of charge. Each Community Wellness Evenings will include discussion and education one of a wide variety of health related topics including physical health (nutrition, exercise, body mechanics), non-physical health (lifestyle issues, attitudes and outlooks, emotional, mental and spiritual health) and exposure to different therapeutic interventions (complementary and alternative medicines). Attendees will be empowered with the knowledge and tools to make better decisions about their health and wellness. Community Wellness Evenings will be held the first Tuesday of every month, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and lasting 1-2 hours. Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve your spot please call Athens Therapeutics at (706) 369-9099. Refreshments are provided. Upcoming Community Wellness Evenings are as follows:
- Community Wellness Evenings are temporarily on hold. They will return again in the near future.
Back to Athens Therapeutics Home Page
Physical Therapy Evenings
In an effort to promote manual therapy within the profession of physical therapy, Athens Therapeutics presents Physical Therapy Evenings for physical therapists. Physical Therapy Evenings are open to all physical therapists and physical therapy assistants. Physical Therapy Evenings will be held the third Thursday of every month, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and lasting approximately 2 hours. Physical Therapy Evenings are completely free of charge. Each Physical Therapy Evening will include introduction, discussion, demonstration and practice of various manual therapy techniques and approaches. Each Physical Therapy Evening is limited to 12 therapists. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis. To reserve your spot please call Athens Therapeutics at (706) 369-9099. If you have any clinical questions or require more information, contact Joe Avolio, PT at Athens Therapeutics. Unfortunately CEU's are not available for these seminars; however therapists will receive clinical skills and techniques which can immediately be utilized in their current work environment. Please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Refreshments are provided. Upcoming Physical Therapy Evenings are as follows:
- Physical Therapy Evenings are temporarily on hold. They will return again in the near future.
