Services
At the clinics of the Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Institute (OSTI), we strive to keep our staff members up to date on the latest, most advanced physical therapy techniques. Our highly skilled clinicians are committed to administering quality care to achieve long lasting results with our patients in a timely fashion. We understand that you have the right to choose your own therapy provider and you expect results when seeking care for your symptoms.
Our clinics specialize in orthopedic, sports, and industrial rehabilitation. Our therapists are dedicated to providing lasting results that will restore function back into the lives of patients; allowing them to resume work, sports, and everyday life. Patients will receive one-on-one care by a licensed physical therapy provider that will create an individualized treatment plan.
Routine physical therapy treatment may consist of:
- Therapeutic exercise
- Manual therapy
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Electrical stimulation
- Ultrasound
- Light therapy
- Iontophoresis
- Traction
- Hot packs/ cold packs
- Home exercise programs
Types of conditions our therapists treat:
- Neck and back pain
- Shoulder, elbow, and wrist injuries
- Knee, hip, ankle and foot injuries
- Sports injuries
- Pre and post surgical therapy
In addition, our clinics also offer a wide variety of specialized services for certain patient populations.
These specialized services include Women's Health Services, Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization (ASTYM), Industrial Rehab Services, Ultimate Advantage Performance Enhancement Camps, Vestibular Rehabilitation.
Women's Health Services
Belvidere Physical Therapy is pleased to offer its Women’s Health physical therapy program, Focus on Women. Our program, designed by women for women, focuses on pregnancy and post partum physical therapy care for women during all stages of their pregnancy and beyond.
Focus on Women is developed by staff physical therapist, Paula McKenzie, PT. Paula has been specializing in Women’s Health physical therapy for nearly 15 years and was the first provider to offer such services in Boone County 12 years ago. She has focused much of her continuing education in the area of Women’s Health in physical therapy, and offers specialty care to her patients.
Focus on Women is beneficial for women dealing with back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, and compressed nerves as well as expectant moms with changes in center of gravity, ligament laxity, and post partum positional injuries due to caring for a baby. Through various therapy techniques and exercises, women can improve muscle strength, ligament laxity, and pelvic asymmetry. Focus on Women also helps expectant women prepare for child birth positioning and postural training for baby care. For more information regarding this program and its benefits, please click on the link or call Belvidere Physical Therapy at 815-547-4777.
Belvidere Physical Therapy was the first clinic in Boone County to offer specialized treatment for women by a physical therapist. This service is offered by our highly skilled clinicians, Paula McKenzie, PT, and Lori Gulsrud-Neiber, PT. Both specialize in the evaluation and treatment of Women's Health related issues.
Paula and Lori have been trained in internal and external assessment of the pelvic floor musculature as well as various treatment techniques to address the following conditions:
- Dyspareunia/ Vaginissmus Endometriosis
- Interstitial Cystitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Levator Ani Syndrome/Tension Myalgia Pelvic
- Floor Muscle Dysfunction
- Pre and Postnatal Dysfunction (including nerve compression due to water retention, sciatica, diastasis recti, back pain)
- Urinary Incontinence
- Vestibulitis
- Vulvodynia
ASTYM® (Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization)
The Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Institute was the 1st provider in the area to provide ASTYM® treatment for their patients. This technique was developed by Performance Dynamics in Muncie, Indiana.
The treatment is very beneficial with excellent outcomes for individuals suffering from tendonitis/chronic irritation symptoms. These symptoms include but are not limited to the following conditions:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Achilles tendonitis
- Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
- Plantar fascitis
- Medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow)
- Patellar tendonitis
- DeQuervain's tenosynovitis
- Trochanteric bursitis
This technique works by using specific instruments to help the clinician find the damaged tissue, stimulate it and increase blood flow to the area, allowing the body to begin a new healing process. In order to find out more about this technique you may contact any of the OSTI clinics.
Ultimate Advantage Sports Enhancement Camp
The Ultimate Advantage Sports Enhancement Camp was developed in 2004 to give athletes a competitive edge in the areas of speed, agility, power, quickness, reaction time, vertical jump, core strength, and overall muscular endurance. The program was developed from the collaborative efforts of multiple licensed athletic trainers and physical therapists. Our clinicians pride themselves on keeping up to date on the latest advancements and this results in an ever evolving program with exciting, innovative techniques to give our athletes the Ultimate Advantage.
Our program is administered in the summer months and consist of a demanding 6 week regimen at 3 times per week. The athlete's progress is evaluated through pre- and post-testing that assess the athlete's straight ahead speed, lateral speed, agility, core strength, and vertical jump. This allows the participants to gauge their improvement through objective findings.
Currently the Ultimate Advantage Sports Enhancement Camp is being offered at a Byron and Oregon high schools and middle schools. We maintain the cost of our camp at a very affordable price, with both male and female sessions, and multiple sessions to accommodate for the student's busy summer schedule.
Contact any of the OSTI clinics to receive a registration form with the upcoming locations and times.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
The goal of vestibular rehabilitation is to retrain the brain to recognize and process signals from the vestibular system in coordination with information from vision and proprioception.
A qualified therapist will first perform a thorough evaluation. This includes observing posture, balance, movement, compensatory strategies, and assessing the vestibular system.
Using the result of this evaluation, the therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan that includes specific head, body, and eye exercises to be performed both in the therapy setting and at home. Many times, treatment may also include increasing activities and exercise in order to strengthen muscles and increase tolerance for symptom-provoking stimuli.
Some of the exercises and activities may at first cause an increase in symptoms as the body and brain attempt to sort out new patterns of movements. With time and consistent practice, coordination of signals from the eyes, proprioceptors, and vestibular system can occur.
Diagnoses may include:
- Dizziness and balance
- Vertigo
- Vestibular hypofunction
- Acoustic neuroma resections
- Gait abnormalities
- Aging
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Dizziness from labrynthritis
- Other central problems
