Therapy

Physically fit for everyday life

Physiotherapy

The aim of our therapy is to enable patients to cope with the demands of everyday life again after their stay at the clinic. Physiotherapy and sports therapy play a very important role in this respect because they can significantly influence mobility and motility and prevent a further deterioration of the patient’s condition. In one-to-one therapy sessions, the patient’s individual problems are discussed and treated with measures and strategies geared specifically towards his or her needs. At the end of their stay, patients are given a programme of practical exercises which they are encouraged to do at home every day.

Alongside traditional physiotherapy techniques, we apply neurophysiological- based therapies such as PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) or the Bobath concept.

Fall prevention

Another focus is fall prevention. After an extensive risk analysis, patients who are particularly prone to falling are offered fall prevention training geared towards their specific needs. Various tests are carried out to examine the patient’s balance reactions, mobility and gait at the start of training. At the end of the patient’s stay, the tests are carried out again and analysed in order to optimise the treatment concept. According to studies, intensive combined balance and strength training can reduce the risk of falls by up to 15 percent.

Because drugs have little effect when “freezing” occurs or when a patient has difficulty initiating movements, patient-based strategies designed to help overcome these problems play a key role. These may be of a cognitive nature or involve visual, acoustic or tactile stimulation.

Other important elements of physiotherapy are posture and walking training, balance and treadmill exercises, equipment training, position-changing exercises, concentration and perception, rhythmic coordination and fine motor skill training. Traditional massages, underwater massages, electric lymphatic drainage, thermotherapy, gymnastic exercises and electric treatment with low and mid- frequency stimulation currents and, in special cases, aqua therapy round off the clinic’s range of treatments.

Strength and balance training

Physically fit patients take part in equipment training to promote muscle growth and enhance muscular strength. Work with fitness training equipment is combined with a variety of balance training exercises.
Studies show that this combination of physical exercise has a positive effect on patients’ balance.

Climbing and Nordic walking

The sport-oriented treatments, such as climbing and Nordic Walking, for younger and more mobile patients focus on increased stimulation under greater pressure. Patients also learn to assess their motor skills more effectively.

In the advanced stages of Parkinson’s, passive therapies are applied in
addition to physical therapy. These have an alleviating effect on pain
caused by bad posture and lack of movement.

BIG – Specific physical therapy for the management of Parkinson’s disease

The clinic’s range of physiotherapy treatments also includes elements of the exercise therapy programme BIG if required and whenever possible. This newly developed concept is based on Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) which aims to improve speech volume in Parkinson patients. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of this approach.

BIG focuses on training large-scale physical movements. Recent studies prove that such exercise can counteract slowness of motion (bradykinesia) and decreased bodily movement (hypokinesia) of the limbs, and bring about a long-term improvement in the mobility of Parkinson patients.

BIG training encourages patients to consciously carry out every movement with maximum exertion. Through constant repetition and with feedback from the therapist, patients become more aware of their movements and can actively work against their steps becoming smaller, for example. It is important that exercises are repeated regularly in everyday situations so that improved movement becomes a matter of course.

Aids for daily living