Physical medicine team keeps ‘sprains and strains’ down

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Ryan Hansen
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Things do not ever seem to slow down for the physical medicine team here. The staff of six -- an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and four physical medicine technicians -- has seen more than 1,000 patients since Sept. 20.

“There’s just a continual flow of patients here,” said Maj. Brian Young, the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group physical therapist, who is deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. “We’ll get done with a busy day and hope it might be a little slower the next, but it’s like this seven days a week.”

“I figured we’d be busy, but not quite to this extreme,” said Staff Sgt. Winifred Robinson, a 332nd MDG physical medicine technician, who is deployed from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. “We’re constantly working.”

The group sees people from all services as well as Department of Defense civilians, contractors and Iraqi national guardsmen.

“Our general rule here is different compared to how it is done in the states,” said Maj. Peter Reinhardt, the 332nd EMDG occupational therapist, who is also deployed from Lackland. “Here, we play more of a support role for the orthopedic doctors. Their major function here is surgery, and it is much more efficient for them to have less clinic time and more actual surgical time. So with the skills we have, we’re able to fill in that clinic portion and begin treatments on patients.”

“The physical therapists and occupational therapist have been an incredible blessing to the orthopedic surgeons here,” said Col. (Dr.) Theodore Parsons III, 332nd EMDG deputy commander and an orthopedic surgeon. “I hold them in the highest regard.”

Here, occupational therapy focuses on the upper extremities while physical therapy works with all spine and lower extremities issues, but there are always some gray areas, Major Reinhardt said.

The biggest complaint from people is lower back pain from wearing body armor, Major Young said. But they also see a lot of ankle sprains and knee injuries from people walking on the rocks or uneven surfaces. And of course sports injuries are a common occurrence, he said.

“I see lots of wrist sprains from lifting or carrying the body armor around,” Major Reinhardt said.

To keep up with the number of people who need to be seen, the physical medicine team works seven days a week. Two groups that take advantage of the team’s dedication are the outpatients who fly into here and those travel to the base as part of a convoy.

“Yes we have a schedule, but convoy personnel and flight personnel go to the top of the list and are seen above others,” Major Reinhardt said. “We have to get them in and taken care of (because) they have an important mission to accomplish,” Major Young said.

Here, the physical medicine team often only gets to see a patient one time, which changes their approach to providing care.

“Most of our treatments here aren’t like it is traditionally stateside where we may see patients for several visits to progress their rehabilitation program,” Major Young said. “If they’re on a convoy here, we’ll see them once and then they’re on their way. So we have to give them enough of the program so they can manage the injury on their own.”

They also see a lot of inpatients.

“Because this is a trauma hospital, we do have a significant inpatient level,” Major Reinhardt said. “We’re kept busy not only with the sprains and strains from outpatients, but we’re also seeing patients that are in need of follow-up care.”

Although the hours are long and they are away from their loved ones, everyone on the team said they feel this experience is worth it.

“I think the training I’ve gained through my military experience has certainly prepared me to function in the role that we’ve carved for ourselves here,” Major Young said.