Experiencing polytrauma, a term used to describe the condition of an individual who has sustained multiple traumatic injuries, can be a life-altering and challenging ordeal. Patients who have been through major accidents often face a complex web of physical and emotional challenges that require comprehensive management. Polytrauma patients should undergo immediate rehabilitation and therapy to optimise their recovery.
The goal is not just returning these individuals back to normal functioning but also optimising their long-term behavioral and cognitive well-being. It’s crucial for families of polytrauma patients as well as civilian communities at large to be aware of the unique challenges faced by those with this condition. By providing immediate access to specialist resources and support systems via selected nursing facilities or rehabilitation centers, we can help these individuals navigate through this difficult journey towards recovery more effectively.
At Healing Touch Rehab, we provide comprehensive neurological rehabilitation services for individuals who have endured polytrauma. By providing immediate access to specialist resources and support systems, we can help our polytrauma patients navigate through this difficult journey towards recovery more effectively. Our multidisciplinary approach to therapy ensures that quality care is provided to those who need it most.
Rehabilitation Following Multiple Injuries
The intricate and challenging nature of multiple injuries is often categorised as polytrauma or multi-trauma. Polytrauma refers to the occurrence of multiple traumatic injuries in one individual, affecting various parts of the body such as the musculoskeletal system, abdomen and pulmonary system.
Patients who have been subjected to polytrauma often require comprehensive management and rehabilitation due to the severe and enduring impact it has on their quality of life. This condition calls for a multidisciplinary approach involving specialists from various fields such as nursing, speech therapy, and behavioral therapy.
Polytrauma itself is not a diagnosis, but rather describes a patient emerging from an incident where:
They have two or more associated serious injuries in at least two areas of the body, or
They have two or more injuries of different types in one area of the body
The resulting injuries can manifest in severe challenges associated with physical injuries, functional challenges that require surgical intervention.
Our Approach
Rehabilitation following orthopaedic injuries involves one or multiple body regions and aims at musculoskeletal training to restore function and mobility. The intervention aims to restore independence and quality of life to individuals following significant injury to their bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, including rehabilitation following orthopaedic surgery, such as hip and knee replacement and associated orthopaedic injures including spinal injuries.
As a multidisciplinary team, we are able to offer a clinical assessment and a treatment plan using our collaborative working approach between physiotherapists and occupational therapists based on clients individual needs. The patient and their family will be actively encouraged to participate in the development and review of the rehabilitation plan. This ensures that all aspects of the patient’s polytrauma condition are taken into consideration, allowing for a more effective and tailored rehabilitation program. The involvement of both the patient and their family is essential in optimising the quality of care and ensuring that the treatment plan meets not only physical but also emotional needs.
Our multidisciplinary team regularly convenes to discuss the progress of our polytrauma patients, review their goals and strive to ensure comprehensive improvements in their daily life.
We work with individuals following
- Pot Orthopaedic Surgery
- Complex multiple Fractures
- Repetitive Strain Injury
- Brachial Plexus Injury
- Sciatic related Pain and Peripheral Nerve Injuries
- Joint movement restrictions
- Amputation
- Spinal Injuries and associated fractures
The physiotherapy management use a variety of treatment techniques including
- Education
- Exercise Therapy
- Mobilisation Techniques
- Soft Tissues Mobilisation
- Postural Re-education
- Therapeutic Taping
- Manual Therapy
- Muscle Energy Techniques
- Ergonomic Assessment
Physiotherapy intervention can also be highly beneficial for individuals with polytrauma before undergoing surgery. This specialised approach helps to identify the best course of action to optimise surgical outcomes and maximise recovery. This can include a pre-operative training program to alleviate the risk of muscle atrophy, loss and optimise strength, ensuring a better recovery for patients with polytrauma injuries.
Occupational Therapy
Experiencing polytrauma can have a profound and lasting impact on individuals and their families. Functional disabilities and psychological disorders are frequently observed in patients who have experienced polytrauma, with multiple injuries to the musculoskeletal system, back, abdomen, pelvis and pulmonary system. These traumatic injuries can lead to long-term rehabilitation needs and require a comprehensive aproach that involves a multidisciplinary team of specialists.
Our Occupational Therapy team assists clients to regain their former level of independence and help them return to the normal routine with confidence. We will offer the client ongoing support and rehabilitation using a client centred approach and prescription of suitable equipment, seating, wheel chair assessment and home adaptations as required. When developing a treatment plan, it is crucial to understand the impact that polytrauma injuries can have on an individual’s fatigue levels, pain symptoms, self-confidence, and psychological wellbeing. This comprehensive approach takes into account the multiple traumatic injuries that a person may have experienced.
There is also focus on increasing the client’s safety and independence in their home with personal care activities, household tasks, with home safety assessment and community as well as addressing their long-term goals such as enabling them to return to leisure pursuits, work placement and driving.
Poly trauma refers to the occurrence of multiple injuries sustained by an individual, often resulting from a single traumatic event. These injuries can affect various body systems and may require specialised medical care. Treatment typically involves a multidisciplinary approach to address the complex needs of the patient.
Book a treatment home, school or community visit
To make clients feel as comfortable as possible, we offer home visits or arrange treatment at one of our community clinics at William Merritt Centre, Leeds, or a similar centre or location of your choice in your local community across the North West and Yorkshire, or we could arrange to see you at a suitable space within your community.
We appreciate our clients may have mobility restrictions and will always consider how to make consultations and treatments as convenient, time optimised and pain-free as possible. Community-based rehabilitation and integration back into the community is the key to any successful rehabilitation. Besides the benefit of a familiar environment and the discipline of following treatment plans within their own setting , community-based treatment enables the client to stay motivated while involving their family and friends.