Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

MercyOne offers a wide range of rehabilitation and therapy services for both hospital patients and on an outpatient basis.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

MercyOne Clive Rehabilitation Hospital

MercyOne Rehabilitation Hospital is Iowa's first and only freestanding rehabilitation hospital. With the growing population of patients in need of comprehensive rehabilitation care, the Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital provides access to state-of-the-art technology and treatment options to advance the recovery process and restore function, so that patients can get back to their lives sooner. LEARN MORE

Outpatient Rehabilitation

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

MercyOne's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation providers, also known as physiatrists, treat a wide variety of medical conditions that have affected the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons…LEARN MORE

Physical Therapy

Anyone experiencing pain and functional limitations as a result of back and neck injuries, sprains/strains, fractures, arthritis, burns, stroke, amputation, work injuries and sports injuries may benefit from physical therapy. 

Locations

• MercyOne Pleasant Hill Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Des Moines Home Care
• MercyOne Indianola Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Ankeny Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Des Moines Riverside Rehab
• MercyOne South Des Moines Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Waukee Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Clive Physical Therapy
• MercyOne Physical & Aquatic Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy helps individuals achieve independence in many areas of their lives. Occupational therapy helps people develop skills for the job of living. In addition to dealing with physical well-being, occupational therapy practitioners address psychological, social and environmental factors that may hinder how an individual handles day-to-day function. 

Occupational therapy services provided include:

• Functional capacity assessments
• Industrial consultations
• Orthopedic rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation from sports injuries
• Hand therapy
• Wound care
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Spinal cord rehabilitation
• Head/brain injury rehabilitation
• Lymphedema management
• Pediatric therapy
• Osteoporosis exercise consultation

Locations

• Mercy Indianola Physical Therapy
• Mercy North Physical Therapy
• Mercy Riverside Rehab
• Mercy West Physical Therapy

 

Speech Therapy

Speech therapists assess and treat language and communication deficits and facilitate the development or recovery of communication skills. Speech therapy helps people with swallowing, eating and voice deficits by providing an in-depth assessment and recommendations for treatment.

Speech exercises help retrain the muscles involved in speaking or swallowing. These exercises can help train the brain to understand words, numbers or gestures, as well as to improve concentration and information processing.

Speech therapy is available at MercyOne Riverside Rehab.

Other Therapy

Hand Therapy

Hand therapists at MercyOne specialize in the evaluation and management of tendon injuries, tendonitis, nerve injuries, tumors and cysts, arthritis, burns and amputations. They are also skilled in making and fitting of custom splints and adaptive equipment.

Lymphedema Management

MercyOne is proud to give patients the opportunity to work with a therapist who specializes in providing the treatment and management of lymphedema. Treatments include skin care, manual lymph drainage using stretching and massaging techniques, compression bandaging, exercise prescription, and the fitting of compression garments. The end goal for patients is self management by the patient or a caregiver. This service is exclusively available at MercyOne Clive Physical Therapy. 

Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA)

A FCA objectively determines an individual’s present functional capabilities in terms of job-specific activities. The findings of this standardized assessment are used to assist in determining the next step in the rehab process, and as guidelines for returning to work. This service is exclusively available at MercyOne South Des Moines Physical Therapy.

Vestibular Rehabilitation

The evaluation and treatment of patients with vestibular and balance disorders includes a variety of techniques to decrease symptoms and maximize independence and safety. MercyOne offers a computerized evaluation using the Smart Balance Master to assess and treat functions of the sensory systems involved in balance. Therapists may perform manual techniques to improve Benign Proximal Positional Vertigo or instruct patients in habituation or visual stabilization exercises.

Women's Health

MercyOne Physical Therapy Clinics offer a wide-range of treatment options for various women’s health conditions, including pelvic pain, urinary and fecal incontinence, constipation and the impacts of pregnancy. Therapists specially trained in women’s health therapy work with patients to improve muscle strength and restore confidence so patients can maintain an active lifestyle. These services are specifically available at MercyOne Waukee Physical Therapy, MercyOne Clive Physical Therapy and MercyOne Comfort Health for Women.

Worksite/Ergonomic Evaluations

Therapists at MercyOne are qualified to perform on-site evaluations for individuals to identify potentially harmful activities in the workplace before injuries occur. A report identifies modifications that could reduce the risk of injury, including improvements in posture, repositioning of equipment or other minor adjustments needed to improve the worksite ergonomics.

Arthritis Management

MercyOne offers rehabilitation to patients with arthritis and related conditions. Services include treatment and education in pain management, joint protection, the use of adaptive equipment, and appropriate exercise programs to improve movement and function.