HCA Houston Healthcare offers physical therapy and comprehensive rehabilitation services tailored directly to the needs of each patient. Surgery and certain conditions and diseases can be very strenuous on your body, and our rehab team is here to help you regain your strength and ability to perform daily activities. HCA Houston Healthcare offers physical therapy and rehabilitation services on both an inpatient and outpatient basis throughout the Greater Houston area.

Physical therapy and rehabilitation services

We use the latest technologies and techniques to help speed recovery times. Our comprehensive care team comprises highly skilled physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nutritionists, social workers and rehabilitation nurses.

Inpatient rehabilitation

HCA Houston Healthcare offers inpatient rehabilitation for individuals who require a higher level of care following an extended illness, stroke, surgery, injury or trauma. Patients typically receive one-on-one therapy sessions for three hours a day, five days a week. Patients must meet the following criteria to be admitted into an inpatient rehabilitation program:

  • A written referral from a physician
  • Require a minimum of two different types of therapy (physical, occupational and/or speech)
  • Need 24/7 nursing care
  • Be medically stable
  • Be able to tolerate three hours of individual therapy five days per week

Our team has expertise in the evaluation and rehabilitation of patients with the following diagnoses and conditions:

We offer the following inpatient therapy treatments:

  • Occupational therapy: Our occupational therapists use therapeutic techniques and functional tasks to help patients achieve their maximum function following injury or surgery. They help patients resume activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, feeding and grooming.
  • Physical therapy: Our physical therapists provide a variety of treatments to preserve and strengthen muscle and motor function. We use exercise and gait and balance activities to help you return to your prior level of independence. These one-on-one sessions also help improve your functional mobility and gross and fine motor skills.
  • Speech-language therapy: Our speech-language pathologists provide evaluations and treatment for patients with speech, language and/or swallowing disorders. They retrain and improve speech and address swallowing concerns related to injury, surgery or a neuromuscular condition.

Outpatient rehabilitation

In addition to our inpatient services, we offer outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation for patients requiring less intensive care. Our physical therapy program focuses on helping patients regain their strength and range of motion. The three primary areas of physical therapy include pain management, exercise and education. The goal of our physical therapy program is to help patients return to their maximum levels of independence and function. Our physical therapists specialize in treating:

Aquatic therapy

HCA Houston Healthcare offers aquatic therapy as a specialized outpatient rehabilitation service. Aquatic therapy may offer the benefits of less pain, and it isn't as hard on the muscles and joints when compared to traditional land-based physical therapy options. Aquatic therapy offers patients buoyancy, sensory input, resistance and compression.

Cardiac rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation is designed to lessen a patient's chance of having another cardiac event and can help lessen the symptoms and severity of existing heart conditions. Cardiac rehab may be recommended for patients who have a health history of:

  • Coronary angioplasty
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Open-heart surgery

Lymphedema therapy

Lymphedema therapy relieves swelling in the extremities by moving lymphatic fluid out of the affected area. Lymphedema can be caused by cancer treatments that remove or damage your lymph nodes. The condition can't be cured but can be managed through therapy to reduce discomfort and decrease swelling.

Neurological rehabilitation

Our neurological rehabilitation programs are for patients with a neurological event, like stroke or neurosurgery. Neurological rehabilitation aids patients in recovery and helps their brains relearn basic activities, such as talking and moving. This form of rehabilitation also utilizes occupational, physical and speech therapies.

Orthopedic rehabilitation

We provide pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation in inpatient and outpatient settings. We are focused on returning you to your maximum level of functional independence, improving your mobility, relieving pain and preventing further injury. Our highly skilled physical therapists specialize in treating sports injuries, joint conditions, spine, neck and lower back pain.

Pelvic floor physical therapy

Pelvic floor disorders happen when pelvic muscles or connective tissues weaken or are injured, which can cause pelvic pain, pelvic floor prolapse, bladder control problems or bowel dysfunction. Physical therapy is a conservative alternative to surgical interventions for pelvic floor disorders.

Depending on the type of pelvic floor disorder you have, your physical therapists may use:

  • Biofeedback to facilitate strengthening and/or muscle relaxation
  • Bladder retraining
  • Diaphragmatic breathing techniques
  • Electric stimulation
  • Manual therapy
  • Muscle relaxation techniques
  • Therapeutic exercises

Prenatal and postpartum physical therapy

Pregnancy and postpartum bring many changes to women’s bodies, but physical therapy may help physical ailments, such as back aches, weakness or pain in the pelvic floor, or scar tissue issues following a cesarean section. Manual therapy, strengthening exercises, relaxation techniques and stretching may help you prepare for delivery or provide relief after you've given birth. Our skilled physical therapists will help you determine the proper treatment for your body during and after pregnancy.

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation has become a standard of care for patients with chronic lung disease. It can't reverse the disease process but can improve symptoms, quality of life and pulmonary function for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic asthma or pulmonary fibrosis.