MaineHealth offers expert rehabilitation care in Belfast, Maine. Our skilled physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) provide therapy services for all people of all ages.
Advanced physical, occupational, orthopedic and sports therapy services
Our multi-disciplinary approach to patient-centered care includes individual treatment plans focused on:
- Regaining movement, strength, balance, speech, cognition, mobility and independence
- Returning to work, sport or activities of daily living
- Educating patients and caregivers
Our goal is to help you reach your best functional outcome. We provide services in a variety of setting and locations including inpatient care at MaineHealth Waldo Hospital. When needed, close collaboration with other MaineHealth specialists is an important part of our patient care.
More about our services
Our skilled physical therapists (PTs) at help patients of all ages reach their best functional outcome.
Physical therapists treat a wide range of conditions, such as:
- Total/partial joint replacements
- Neck & back pain
- Chronic pain
- Fibromyalgia
- TMJ
- Post-stroke rehabilitation
- Post-amputation rehabilitation
- Pre/post-surgical knee, shoulder, hip
- Balance deficits
- Gait deficits
- Chronic edema/Lymphedema
- Post-mastectomy or post-trauma edema
- Pregnancy pain issues
- Sports and work-related injuries
- Vertigo and vestibular rehab
- Pelvic floor dysfunction/pain
- Postural restoration techniques
Pediatric physical therapy
We provide expert pediatric physical therapy in our office, at home, at schools, parks and playgrounds – whatever works best for your child. Using a multidisciplinary team approach, we working closely with family members, other therapists, teachers, and doctors to achieve the best results for you child. Conditions commonly treated include:
- Developmental disorders
- Cerebral palsy
- Spina bifida
- Down syndrome
- Genetic disorders
- Coordination issues
- Toe walking
- Neck muscle tightness (Torticollis)
- Behavioral issues
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- ADD/ADHD
- Autism
- Hearing and visual disorders
Our occupational therapists (OTs) provide care for people of all ages with health conditions that cause pain, decreased mobility, decreased strength, loss of function or ability to perform self-care. We will develop a personalized care plan that helps you gain the strength, endurance and abilities needed to return to independent living.
Occupational therapists treat a wide range of conditions, such as:
- Hand injuries/surgeries
- Elbow, wrist and shoulder injuries/surgeries
- Degenerative disorders
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Joint diseases
- Overuse conditions and tendonitis
- Post-stroke rehabilitation
- Cognitive and memory deficits
Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)
Our occupational therapists provides early OT intervention for children from birth to 5 years old with developmental and sensory delays. Services are provided at home, pre-schools and at our outpatient practice. Your child may benefit from occupational therapy if they have:
- Inattention and distractibility
- Difficulty with visual tasks such as letter recognition and copying from a blackboard
- Difficulty eating, dressing and following instructions
- Awkward running / jumping and planning body movements
- Writing difficulties and other hand skill issues
- Struggles with self-control or is easily overwhelmed
- Difficulty with processing sound, touch or textures
- Behavioral issues such as biting, kicking and fighting
A referral from your pediatrician or Child Development Services is required.
Our orthopedic and sports physical therapy team helps patients of all ages recover from sports injuries. Our licensed physical therapists and PT assistants can help prevent pain or further damage, train different muscles to compensate for ones that have been damaged and, ultimately, restore your ability to work, play and live as normally as possible. Services include:
- Assessments to identify the source of pain or mobility problem
- Therapeutic plans tailored to your unique needs and utilizing a range of treatments, including:
- Manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilization to improve limited motion
- Therapeutic exercise to address specific muscle dysfunction, and increase muscle strength and endurance
- Techniques to improve neuromuscular control and muscle sequencing
- Aquatic PT which lessens pressure on muscles and joints
- Bracing/taping to support and/or hold a body part stable and motionless to prevent pain and further injury
- Orthotics, custom-designed appliances that help to prevent and correct deformities that may hinder a patient’s ease of movement, and aid in support and alignment.
- Patient education about self-management techniques
The MaineHealth Waldo Hospital swing bed program provides short-term rehabilitation care for patients who need to increase their strength and independence prior to returning home from a hospital stay. Patients work toward independent self-care with support from a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. The team also helps ensure a safe and comfortable transition from hospital to home.
To be eligible for swing bed care, patients must:
- Require a “skilled” level of care
- Have a qualifying hospital stay
- Agree to participate in short-term rehabilitation
Your swing bed care team may include:
- Physicians
- Hospitalists
- Registered nurses
- Swing bed coordinators
- Social workers/discharge planners
- Pharmacists
- Dietitians
- Physical, occupational and speech therapists
- Activities coordinators
- Medicare specialists
- Behavioral health specialists
Please call 207-505-4515 for more information. We will work with you to determine eligibility and insurance coverage.
Lymphedema is a condition caused by a blockage in the lymphatic system, resulting in fluid buildup and swelling. Areas commonly affected by this condition include the arms, legs, breast, face, neck, throat or abdomen.
Our Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) Treatment includes
- Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) techniques which include skin massage and stimulation
- Skin care/hygiene techniques
- Exercises to alleviate symptoms
- Compression bandages and garments
Conditions Commonly Treated
- Primary lymphedema
- Lymphedema secondary to cancer treatment
- Lymphedema secondary to trauma
- Lymphedema secondary to venous insufficiency
- Venous stasis and other venous disease
- Wounds of acute or chronic nature
MaineHealth Physical and Occupational Therapy Belfast offers specialized therapy for people living with Parkinson's disease.
LSVT BIG is an intensive physical and occupational therapy exercise program that’s proven to help improve major motor skills, including:
- Faster walking
- Bigger steps
- Better balance
- Increased trunk rotation
- Increased fine motor skills
- Increased activities of daily living
- Many people living with Parkinson’s disease have issues with recognizing the appropriate amount of effort to perform normal movements. LSVT BIG is used to minimize or slow progression of the disease.
LVST LOUD helps people living with Parkinson's disease strengthen their voice, volume and articulation through a series of therapeutic exercises. This service is provided through MaineHealth Waldo Hospital Speech Therapy.
Pelvic floor rehab is used to treat a wide range of problems that occur for individuals with pelvic floor dysfunction. Pelvic floor dysfunction includes pain from weakened or tightened muscles of the pelvic floor, or if there is an impairment of the pelvic area or irritation of the surrounding tissue. Pelvic floor rehab can be used to treat, and in some cases cure, these symptoms and dysfunction.
Pelvic floor rehabilitation can help manage:
- Bowel/bladder dysfunction
- Effects of pregnancy
- Abdominal, back and/or pelvic pain
- Effects of surgery (prostatectomy/hysterectomy)
Therapy may include:
- External and internal manual techniques
- Biofeedback
- Electrical stimulation
- Heat and cold therapy
- Therapeutic exercise
A physician referral is required for care.
Urinary incontinence retraining involves exercises and treatment that help female patients better use their pelvic floor muscles.
Are you affected by dizziness or the feeling of being off balance? The symptoms of a vestibular disorder may be difficult to describe. Common symptoms include:
- Vertigo - a spinning or whirling sensation, or an illusion of the self or world moving
- Dizziness- a light-headed, floating or rocking sensation
Other effects that can accompany vestibular disorders are:
- Poor balance
- Nausea
- Visual disturbances
- Headache
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus
- Pain or fullness in the ears
Physical Therapy Manages
- Balance/ambulation issues
- Fall risk
- Vertigo
- Dizziness
- BPPV - an inner ear disorder where episodes of dizziness take place with certain head movements
- Vestibular diagnoses
We provide customized therapeutic exercise programs that help cancer patients maintain their physical and mental well-being. Aquatic therapy services are also available for those unable to begin an exercise program on land. For more information, please call 207-338-9316. A physician’s referral is required.
Benefits of dry needling
- Natural pain reliever
- Resets the pain cycle
- Increases blood flow
- Initiates tissue repair
- Creates an immune response
- Releases trigger points
- Hard knots
Who can benefit?
Those who suffer from:
- Low Back Pain
- Chronic Pain
- Arthritis
- Stenosis
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sciatica
- SIJ Dysfunction
- Shin Splints
- Fibromyalgia
- Elbow Tendinitis
- and many others
How does it work?
A needle is inserted into a trigger point causing a micro-lesion stimulating the body’s own healing capabilities and ultimately reducing pain.
What does dry mean?
Dry needles are the same as acupuncture needles and have no medication in them. “Wet” needles deliver steroids, anesthetics or other medications
How long does it take?
Dry needling adds 8-30 minutes to your PT treatment session and is usually followed by gentle stretching and exercise.
How do I get dry needling services?
Dry needling and all physical therapy services require a physician’s referral.
