Specialized care
Aurora physical therapists are highly skilled and specialize in many other areas, including cardiac rehab, orthopedics, neurosciences, children’s health, pelvic floor health, cancer care, sports health, and balance and vestibular conditions.
Cardiac rehabilitation
After treatment for a heart issue, exercise and education can help pave the road to continued health. Our cardiac rehabilitation program is designed to improve your health after a cardiac event. Our team of specialists can show you how to limit stress, what foods are best for heart health and what exercises are right for you. Learn more about general cardiac care at Aurora.
Orthopedic physical therapy
Our specialized orthopedic physical therapists can help you recover from an injury, regain strength after surgery or avoid surgery altogether. During your one-on-one orthopedic and sports health sessions, you’ll learn exercises, stretches and other techniques to improve your flexibility and range of motion while addressing how to prevent future injuries. Learn more about orthopedic diagnosis and orthopedic medicine and surgery at Aurora.
Orthopedic physical therapy services at Aurora
Neuroscience physical therapy
Advanced-trained physical, occupational and speech therapists help patients restore and improve the functions needed for activities of daily living, including: mobility, strength, balance, swallowing, speech, memory, cognition and coping.
By returning you to activity following a life-altering event, clinicians help you preserve your independence. Learn more about neuroscience.
Neuroscience physical therapy services at Aurora
Cancer physical therapy
As part of our cancer care services, Aurora offers physical therapy for cancer patients. Cancer physical therapy addresses the musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and functional deficits associated with cancer and cancer treatments, including surgery, reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal or biological therapies. Our cancer physical therapy team is dedicated to minimizing the effects associated with some cancer treatments while assisting in maximizing care options, quality of life, length of life and overall survival. Learn more about our cancer physical therapy services.
Children’s health physical therapy
The primary goals of our children’s health physical therapists are to help your child function at their highest potential, improve their quality of life and make them as functionally independent as their age allows. We’ll work closely with your child to help improve their range of motion, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, motor skills, swallowing and speech. Some of our therapies can also assist in helping to improve the sensory system and cognitive abilities.
As part of the treatment process, you can count on our physical therapists to help educate and support your whole family. Learn more about general children’s health care services at Aurora.
To find a children’s health physical therapist near you, use our online search tool.
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Aurora Women’s Health Centers are equipped to address pelvic floor and sexual function issues that occur in both women and men. Specialized physical therapy offered at our sites has proven to be effective – helping to treat pelvic floor dysfunction and continence health issues. Learn more about pelvic floor physical therapy.
Additional services & programs
We also offer physical therapy for these conditions.
We also work with care providers from Aurora’s pain management specialists, who provide alternatives for treating chronic pain as well as acute pain due to an injury or recovery from surgery.
Unmatched access
Physical therapy can be scheduled following a referral from your physician or may be available without a referral if using the Direct Access to Physical Therapy option. Your recovery is important to us – we are available for same-day or next-day access, whatever works for your schedule and care needs. Contact us to schedule an appointment or find out more.
Get a free injury evaluation
We offer free injury evaluations. Some locations offer the possibility of getting a same-day evaluation. Fill out our free injury evaluation form to connect with us today
Sports health hotline
You can ask questions about your physical therapy by calling the Aurora Sports Health Hotline™ at 414-219-7776 or toll-free 800-219-7776.
Contact us
Contact us with your questions about physical therapy. We’re here to help.
Advocate’s physical therapists evaluate and treat patients of all ages for a wide range of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Our goal is to help patients return to their best possible levels of mobility, function and independence, through compassionate care and education.
What sets us apart:
- Clear objectives: You and your therapist will set goals during a detailed, individualized evaluation
- Personal attention: One-to-one interventions including balance and strength training, coordination activities and other techniques to restore function, reduce pain and prevent re-injury
- Collaboration: Patient education and involvement of caregivers in home treatment plans, to improve and speed positive results
- Timely, engaged follow-up: Periodic reassessment, to ensure your recovery goals are being met and to make modifications if needed
Many of our physical therapists hold masters- or doctorate-level training in physical therapy. All therapists and assistants are licensed by the state of Illinois.
If you have a referral from your doctor, call 800-3-ADVOCATE to find a therapist and schedule an appointment, or find a rehabilitation location online.
Conditions we treat
Many physical therapy patients are recovering from an injury, illness, accident or surgery that has kept them from their best levels of physical activity, independence and quality of life. Conditions that can benefit from treatment by Advocate physical therapists include:
Orthopedic and musculoskeletal
- Rehabilitation following an amputation
- Joint conditions, including:
- Arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Total joint replacement
- Osteoporosis
- Pelvic health rehabilitation for men and for women
- Post-surgical interventions
- Repetitive motion injuries, including:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Spinal injuries
- Sports injuries
- Strains and sprains
- Weakness and general deconditioning
Neurological
- Fibromyalgia
- Head injuries
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson disease
- Stroke
Other conditions
- Burns
- Chronic wounds
- Lymphedema
- Vestibular and other balance-related conditions
How your care begins
The physical therapy team may use diagnostic tools like these to help assess your current level of function and set appropriate goals for your recovery. If relevant to your specific health concern, you may want to review them before your first visit:
Team-Based rehab on the road to recovery
If you’re in a serious accident, have an injury or are dealing with a new condition or serious illness, you need the best possible care around the clock. Our inpatient rehabilitation programs offer 24/7 hospital-based care and expert therapy to help you start feeling like yourself again.
By working with a dedicated team of rehab physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and more, you’ll be on the road to recovery at a pace that matches your needs and health goals.
And that same level of support can continue with outpatient physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and home therapy services – so you get the exact level of care you need at every step of your healing journey.
Inpatient rehabilitation at Aurora
With a patient satisfaction rate of over 90% and convenient inpatient settings close to home, Aurora offers some of the most advanced rehabilitation care in the state. In fact, most of our patients return home or begin outpatient treatment after less than two weeks of hospital-based therapy.
People also choose Aurora Health Care because of our:
- Team approach to care – When you start inpatient rehab at Aurora, you’ll work with an integrated team of highly trained specialists. They’re doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, recreational therapists and psychologists – all of whom have been specially trained in rehabilitation for your unique condition.
- Real-world environments – Our real-world and replica home environments are one-of-a-kind in Wisconsin. By practicing daily tasks in a real-world setting, you’ll be primed and ready to get back to the things you love once you leave the hospital.
- Outstanding outcomes – At our five locations throughout eastern Wisconsin, patients report high levels of success and satisfaction. In fact, all five of our inpatient rehab programs rank in the top quartile nationally. Maybe that’s because over 75% of our patients make a major improvement during their time with us, while nearly 100% show improvements on the Functional Independent Measurement (FIM) scale – a scale to measure whether rehab goals were met or exceeded.
- Advanced rehab technology – When you choose Aurora for inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll get access to the latest in rehab technology. That includes gaming systems like Nintendo Wii, electronic walking devices like Bioness NESS L300, and one of the most advanced electronic medical record systems in the area.
- Proven expertise – Our doctors are board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and our nurses are specially trained in rehabilitation. Together with the vast experience of our physical therapists and other specialists, our team uses their knowledge and expertise to get you moving again.
Inpatient rehab conditions
If you need help with mobility, safety, self-care or regaining cognitive skills, we’re here for you. Most of our inpatient rehabilitation patients seek care for one of the following conditions:
Many conditions respond better to inpatient rehab than other types of care. For instance, the American Heart Association recommends inpatient rehab over nursing home care for stroke patients, stating that “initial rehabilitation should take place in an inpatient rehabilitation facility rather than a nursing home” whenever possible.
Am I a candidate for inpatient rehabilitation?
In order to start inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll need a referral from your doctor. We’ll then do a preadmission screening within one day of getting the referral. This screening helps us determine if inpatient rehab is right for you, or if you may need another course of treatment.
Inpatient rehabilitation may be the best option if you:
- Are medically stable and not on life support
- Need close medical supervision from a specialist
- Need 24/7 rehab nursing
- Need care from a multidisciplinary team
- Are able to participate in an intensive rehab program
If we decide inpatient rehab will benefit you, you’ll be assigned a rehab doctor to guide your care every step of the way.
If another treatment option would be better, we’ll make sure you get the referrals, appointments and recommendations you need to get the care that’s right for you.
Inpatient rehab at Aurora St. Luke’s
Starting your path to recovery
When you start inpatient rehabilitation, you’ll work with a dedicated team of experts committed to your success. Together, you’ll create a plan of care that addresses your specific needs, challenges and goals.
You’ll spend up to three hours each day working with your doctors, nurses and therapists to practice real-world skills, including:
- Walking
- Bathing
- Thinking
- Talking
- Dressing yourself
- Learning new ways to function at home
- Eating out
- Shopping at the grocery store
- Getting out into the community
You’ll use our life-like environments and cutting-edge technology to help speed your progress in the areas that matter to you.
Most patients complete our rehab program in 12 days or less. From there, we’ll work with your primary care doctor to make a plan for continuing care. This might include home visits, follow-up appointments, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and additional outpatient rehabilitation.
