With specialists across the rehabilitation spectrum, Duke physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech therapy offer care at every stage of life, from pediatric rehabilitation to adult rehabilitation to at-home care. Care options unique to Duke include advanced hand care, aquatic therapy, women’s health/pelvic health treatment, oncology rehabilitation, sports medicine therapy and a joint health program for osteoarthritis.

“Within our department, we have the most board-certified clinical specialists in the country,” says Michael A. Schmidt, PT, DPT, MHA, Duke Health director of rehabilitation services. “The clinical excellence is the top caliber in the country from a rehabilitation perspective.”

With 32 clinic locations and over 350 providers throughout Wake and Durham Counties plus an in-home therapy provider, the department offers a wide array of options to serve patients.

Duke Rehabilitation provides specialized care to serve patients from children to seniors. For patients who are at increased risk for falls and don’t need specialized equipment, including seniors, Duke offers in-home appointments through Luna, an at-home PT provider. Duke patients can schedule an in-home PT visit with a licensed physical therapist through the Luna app and still have access to the full resources of Duke Health PT and OT.

“This partnership is advantageous for folks who have transportation or schedule limitations that impacts their ability to be seen in our outpatient clinics,” Schmidt notes. “Having a therapist come directly to your home can be easier for patients and caregivers. The therapist can also recommend modifications within the home to help improve independence and function.”

Duke Health offers a comprehensive range of advanced rehabilitation services designed to support the recovery and long-term wellness of patients, including:

• Enhanced hand therapy with certified experts within hand, wrist, and elbow: “These expert clinicians can fabricate custom splinting to help regain hand function and return patients to work and functional daily activities after surgery,” says Schmidt.
• Aquatic therapy, a deweighted option with heated pools for comfort and therapeutic effects: “This is a really helpful tool to help people move more easily and decrease pain,” Schmidt explains.
• Women’s health rehabilitation and pelvic floor therapy: Duke is home to the first accredited women’s health PT residency program in the country, training specialists for women’s issues such as women’s oncology and care of the pregnant patient or female athlete. The department also offers pelvic floor therapy to address dysfunction through a multidisciplinary team approach with gynecology, urology, and more.
• The Joint Health Program features a multidisciplinary team for patients with osteoarthritis affecting the hip, knee, shoulder, or carpometacarpal joints, managed by primary osteoarthritis providers.

Across all specialties, Duke Rehabilitation clinicians work to give patients relief. “We help return patients to activity or maintain function as they get older,” says Schmidt. “If a patient needs any type of specialized treatment, we have resources to help.”