Our Services

Our dedicated, professional and knowledgeable team offers a variety of therapy services to meet your needs.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Physical Therapists seek to restore strength, mobility, balance, endurance and function following injury, surgery, illness or disease. BAK's ultimate goal is providing patients and care givers with information regarding their disease/injury process and preventing future problems.

BAK physical therapists are equipped with the knowledge and skills in the most current techniques and methodologies.

Our Physical Therapy programs include the following services and programs:

Acute and Chronic Back Care
Orthopedic and Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Hand Therapy
Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation
Vestibular/Balance Rehabilitation
Labor and Delivery TENS
Fitness and Conditioning Programs
Pilates-Based Rehab (Menlo Park & Belmont sites)
Oncology Rehab


Acute and Chronic Back Care

BAK's strong back/spine care program was developed to provide the important link between acute injury and return to activity or work. Treatment by our staff may include manual techniques, use of specialized equipment, exercise and/or therapeutic modalities. Job simulation and work conditioning are some of the functional components of our treatment. In addition to patient education, emphasis is on the patient taking a proactive role in the overall treatment process.

Offered at all BAK locations.

Orthopedic and Sports Injury Rehabilitation

BAK has a long tradition of providing high quality care for patients with orthopedic, arthritic, or athletic injury problems. All of our outpatient clinics provide evaluation and treatment of soft tissue injuries to the spine and peripheral joints; post-surgical rehabilitation utilizing state the art techniques and equipment; patient education and home exercise programs. Manual therapy, mechanical treatments and various modalities are also available.

A complimentary based program offered by BAK is the Center for Sports Health. The center provides athletic trainers to local schools and clubs for on-field practice and games, coordinates physician coverage for medical treatment, and offers rehabilitation services for the prevention and treatment of athletic injuries. BAK helps coordinate low cost pre participation physicals for high school athletes.

Offered at all BAK locations.

Hand Therapy Services

Hand injuries can often be disabling. BAK recognizes the need to provide specialized care for individuals who have sustained a traumatic or repetitive stress injury to the hand.

Of special interest to employers is BAK Hand Therapy services. Hand Therapy benefits people with repetitive strain or traumatic injury to the hand, fingers or wrist. Education is emphasized and every patient is instructed in techniques to control symptoms, as well as prevention principles to decrease the chance of future injury or re-injury. Evaluation components include motor, sensory and strength testing, as well as functional hand skills for return to work assessment.

A certified Hand Therapist is available for some services including splinting.

Offered at the Redwood City location 650-363-5658 .

Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation

BAK has a strong interdisciplinary team of occupational and physical therapists, together with speech/language pathologists, working to maximize function of patients with stroke or other brain injuries. Some of the neurogenic disorders treated are Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, and Parkinson's Disease. Regular Team meetings facilitate coordination of treatment goals and help to maximize outcomes.

Physical Therapists seek to restore strength, mobility, balance, endurance and function after injury or illness has occurred. Occupational Therapists evaluate and teach strategies and skills to help patients become self-sufficient with activities of daily living, fine motor coordination, balance and cognition. Speech and Language Pathologists assist patients with impaired swallowing, communication skills, and/or cognitive skills following stroke.

Offered at Sequoia Hospital 650-367-5517.

Vestibular/Balance Rehabilitation

BAK Physical Therapy provides vestibular therapy for management of patients with vertigo and disequilibrium. There are currently only a few programs in the Bay Area providing these unique services. This exercise based rehabilitation approach has proven to be an effective method of treating individuals with vestibular and/or related problems.

A vestibular therapy program is an individualized program. The treatment plan generally extends 1-2 times per week for 4-6 weeks, depending on the individual and the specific diagnosis. A physician's referral is necessary.

Offered at several locations.

More information on vestibular disorders

The Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) is an information and support organization for people with dizziness; balance disorders and related hearing problems. You can visit them at: www.teleport.com/~veda or email to: Veda@teleport.com

T.E.N.S for Labor and Delivery at Sequoia Hospital

For women who plan on delivering at Sequoia Hospital, BAK/Physiotherapy Associates offers a TENS Program. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is a method to help reduce pain during labor and delivery. TENS has been used extensively to reduce acute and chronic pain. BAK's Physical Therapy Department, in conjunction with Sequoia Hospital, offers this service providing instruction in the use of TENS to women who wish the utilize it during labor and delivery.

A TENS unit is a small battery-operated electrical stimulator (which looks like a pager), providing a moderate tingling sensation through electrodes placed on the skin. This moderate sensation "competes" with the pain sensations sent to the brain resulting in perceiving the labor contraction as less painful.

The advantage of using TENS is that it is not invasive and therefore has no side effects to the mother or baby. It can be used in addition to Lamaze techniques. Using the TENS method may decreases the use of medication during labor, helping to minimize the possible side effects from use of pain medication.

For more information, or to set up an appointment regarding the TENS method, please contact the Physical Therapy Department at Sequoia Hospital at 650-367-5517. (Appointments are generally made within one month of actual due date).

Offered at Sequoia Hospital 650-367-5517.

Fitness and Conditioning Programs

BAK believes that Fitness and Conditioning Programs can enhance rehabilitation results. After completing the formal Physical Therapy Program, BAK patients are encouraged to participate in our Fitness and Conditioning Programs. These individualized programs give patients a regimen based on personal goals and limitations. Even patients with functional limitations, following rehabilitation, can benefit from an ongoing exercise and conditioning program, arming them with the proper education and tools necessary for increased strength, mobility and stamina.

Offered at all locations.

CARDIAC REHABILITATION

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, offered at Sequoia Hospital on an outpatient basis, is a supervised exercise and education program specifically designed to assist in early rehabilitation of the cardiac patient within the first and second months after discharge from the hospital.

The program is designed for people who have had a heart attack, angioplasty/stent, coronary artery bypass surgery, angina or other forms of cardiovascular disease.

The 12 week, multidisciplinary outpatient program provides a supportive environment in which participants will learn to:
Minimize risk factors, thereby helping to decrease chances of future heart complications
Restore, and even increase, physical fitness levels.
Increase understanding of heart disease and its effects on patients and their families.
Cope with psychological problems such as anger and depression that often are associated with a major illness.
Regain confidence in the ability to resume daily living activities.

During the program, participants remain under the direct care of their referring physician. The program is staffed by a cardiac nurse, physical therapist, exercise specialist, dietitian, pharmacist and social worker.

Offered at Sequoia Hospital 650-367-5593.


OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

BAK occupational therapists are equipped with the knowledge and skills in the most current techniques and methodologies.

Occupational Therapy focuses on mastering the essential activities of daily living and returning individuals to their highest potential level. This is achieved by improving and restoring function, learning skills to compensate for disabilities and/or learning strategies to adapt and compensate for dysfunction.

BAK occupational therapists evaluate and develop strategies and skills to help patients become self-sufficient. Therapeutic activities are goal-directed and designed to assist individuals in adapting to their physical and social environment. Activities include prescribed adaptive equipment and techniques, providing home assessment, accessible living environments, family training and compensation training. The types of patients who can benefit from these kinds of services include but are not limited to:

Post Surgical Patients
Post Stroke Patients
Patients experiencing Neurological Disorders (MS, Parkinson, head injuries)
Orthopedic Patients
Cardiac and Pulmonary Patients
Joint Rehabilitation Patients
Oncology Patients

Occupational Therapy Services are Offered at Sequoia Hospital 650-367-5517.

SPEECH / LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

BAK speech/language pathologists are equipped with the knowledge and skills in the most current techniques and methodologies.

The ability to communicate is fundamental to our quality of life. BAK's innovative programs enable therapists to offer personalized and effective speech and language therapy services to individuals of all ages. Our goal is to facilitate success in each individual's ability to communicate with others. BAK's speech/language pathologists have the skills to make a lasting contribution to their patient's well-being.

Experienced in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders (Dysphasia), BAK therapists work with the physician, patient, and caregivers to promote safe and adequate nutritional intake.

Additional services include:
Aphasia Therapy (Stroke)
Swallowing Therapy
Cognitive/Linguistic Retraining
Voice Therapy
Communication Club (Post-stroke language/social group)

For more information please call Sequoia Hospital at 650-367-5517.


CENTER FOR SPORTS HEALTH

History and Description of Program and Services

Founded in 1990, the BAK/Center for Sports Health (BAK) was created in order to prevent and rehabilitate injuries associated with physical activity and sports participation in youth athletics. BAK Physical Therapy, has long been a leader in sports rehabilitation, and coordinated this program to reach young athletes, high school and college level athletes, throughout the Peninsula. This program allows athletes of all ages to have the opportunity to work with and be supervised by trained medical professionals whose main goal is to keep injury, both on and off the field, at a minimum. BAK is the official medical consultant to the Central Coast Section of the California Interscholastic Federation. The official website is www.cifccs.org

In San Mateo County alone there are thousands of athletes participating in team sports who risk injury on playing fields every day. At most risk are the school age athletes who don't have proper supervision and/or adequate injury prevention, instruction and treatment. For athletes, families and coaches the injury statistics are staggering. According to the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), the injury toll in high school sports alone is approximately 1.3 million nationwide per year. BAK is committed to reducing these numbers and dedicated to keeping the playing fields "injury free" zones.

BAK programs and services are designed to meet the year-round needs of school athletic programs by providing medical support for sports related injuries, education for the prevention of injuries and the rehabilitation of injuries. At each participating school, every athlete representing every sport within the Athletic Department has access to this unique, effective and comprehensive sports medicine program.

BAK multifaceted program includes the Field Program which provides Certified Athletic Trainers to local schools; the Physician Medical Program which coordinates the medical treatment of injuries; and the Rehabilitation Program which provides rehabilitation services at convenient locations for the treatment of athletic injuries.

The Field Program

The Field Program provides National Athletic Training Association certified athletic trainers at each participating school for 20 hours a week. These trainers are utilized as needed by the schools during practice and sporting events. The certified athletic trainer has a wide variety of skills essential to the safe operation of any sports program, including the evaluation and rehabilitation of injuries, the treating of wounds and the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The athletic trainer can prevent re-injury by constructing and fitting equipment to support existing injuries. In addition, the trainer continually educates athletes in injury prevention and implements conditioning programs for the team.

Primary Functions of the Certified Athletic Trainer " Establish sports-specific strengthening and conditioning programs " Educate athletes in injury prevention and participate in sports seminars " Evaluate suspected injuries " Administer first aid appropriate to the injury sustained " Support and protect existing injuries or weaknesses " Assists in directing the injured athlete to the appropriate health care provider " Rehabilitate or refer to Physical and/or Occupational Therapy when necessary " Provide daily injury status reports to the school athletic director, head coach or designated assistant coach. " Follow school procedures for emergency transport of any athlete suffering a significant or life threatening injury " Coordinate and perform periodic sports physicals - three to four times per year

The Physician Medical Program

The Physician Medical Program provides physician services to schools and sports teams within the Center for Sports Health network. These physicians, provide prompt treatment of injuries, oversee pre-season physicals for athletes and lend their expertise at seminars and coaching courses. The Physician Medical Program includes a panel of physicians, who provide medical treatment as needed by the athletes, an advisory committee who approves policies and procedures of the program.

The Rehabilitation Program

The Rehabilitation Program provides comprehensive rehabilitation services to the injured athlete. A group of highly skilled physical therapists, specializing in sports injuries, assist the athletic trainer and the physician in reducing the number and severity of athletic injuries.

The Rehabilitation Program concentrates on pain management, correction of dysfunction and physical reconditioning to prevent re-injury. The goal of the program is to return the athlete to competition quickly and safely. Services are available before or after school.

BAK's early intervention, treatment and educational programs do make a difference in the physical well being of each athlete involved in the network. While some athletic injuries are, to some extent, unavoidable, over the years BAK successful track record has proven that those injuries that do occur can be significantly less severe.

For more information regarding the BAK/Center for Sports Health affordable programs and services, please call Program Coordinator, Steve White at 650-363-5658