FORT DRUM, N.Y. (March 17, 2016) -- When people think of physical therapy, they might imagine a room filled with tables where patients lie down as their muscles are stretched and bodies brought back into alignment by professionals.
While Fort Drum's physical therapists do use techniques that manipulate the body and help to stretch injured muscles, their primary role is to educate Soldiers so that they are active participants in their own recovery, said Capt. Danny Harris, chief of physical therapy at Conner Troop Medical Clinic.
"Usually, the most effective treatment for our population is therapeutic exercise," he said. "When you come here, you're going to do some work -- you're going to sweat."
The primary goal of physical therapy, Harris said, is not only to assist Soldiers in healing from minor injuries, but to increase their knowledge of how to work and exercise in a manner that will prevent future injury.
"The body will heal itself," he said. "We try to make sure that it does that in the best way possible. We show people exercises and make sure they are doing them in the correct way so that they are assisting their bodies in self-healing."
Harris stressed the importance of being seen by a primary care physician in a timely manner when an injury occurs. These physicians can assess whether an injury is an ache or pain -- likely to heal with rest -- or whether it is one that requires more intensive intervention.
"They know that if it's a musculoskeletal injury, they should send the Soldier to us right away," he said. "Physical therapists are really the musculoskeletal experts."
The first step in aiding Soldiers in their recovery is a thorough assessment performed by one of the clinic's three physical therapists. These professionals -- each of whom has a doctorate in physical therapy -- are equipped to determine whether an injury can be rehabilitated with therapeutic methods or whether a Soldier needs to be referred to a specialist.
"Once we have talked with the Soldiers -- asked them about the intensity and duration of their pain -- we test their flexibility and watch them move," Harris said.
This is where the clinic's physical therapy assistants step in. Working with the therapists, these four individuals help to develop an action plan, catered not just to each patient's injury, but to the type of movement and exercise that the Soldier routinely performs in his or her specific military occupational specialty.
"The physical therapy assistants really take the lead from here," Harris said. "They work with the Soldiers every day, and they are very good at what they do."
Physical therapy assistant Paula Reddick said that in addition to helping the Soldiers while they are at the clinic, it's vital that Soldiers continue to practice these exercises on their own.
"We teach them stretches and exercises that they can do at home, and we remind them that it's very important that they do them," she said. "If they want to get better, they have to work hard at home."
Reddick empathizes with Soldiers who experience pain as they complete their exercises.
"I know what it is like to be in pain, but I try to encourage the Soldiers that the outcome will be worth it," she said.
Spc. Treyvon Jones, a human resource specialist, said he agrees.
"It is painful when you're doing the exercises, but at the end of the day it really helps," he said.
Jones, who has suffered lower back pain for over a year, has been receiving therapy at the clinic for a few weeks. In that time, he said that his pain level has been drastically reduced and he looks forward to a full recovery so that he can better serve Soldiers within his unit.
"I need to get better so that I can back to where I can help others -- motivate people and help them to get promoted," he said.
Capt. Joel Hanna, 1st Brigade Combat Team physical therapist, said that helping Soldiers get back to fulfilling their role in the mission is an important part of what the physical therapy team does.
"When a Soldier is injured, they are not doing their job to their full capacity," he said. "It's difficult for the Soldier, and it's also difficult for the command, because they have one less Soldier in the fight."
Hanna stressed the importance of maintaining a high level of physical fitness.
"Your level of fitness will definitely reduce your likelihood of becoming injured," he said. "The military is a physical environment and injuries are almost inevitable, but if you are already in good shape, it may take you less time to recover."
The physical therapy team also has taken a very proactive stance in educating Soldiers about proper exercise methods, said Kerry Sarvis, a certified athletic trainer who works alongside Hanna.
"We are based out of (CTMC), but we do outreach programs -- going into different battalions and unit fitness areas and doing briefings based on injury prevention and proper exercise technique," she said. "We give them some knowledge -- at the Soldier level, the squad leader level, the command level -- so everyone is on the same page."
Another major initiative that the physical therapists began three months ago is assisting cadre from the Light Fighters School, providing Functional Movement System screenings for Pre-Ranger Course candidates.
Capt. Travis Boudreau, Light Fighters School commander, said that there was concern over the high medical drop rate during the Pre-Ranger Course -- much of which was attributed to minor injuries that Soldiers aggravated during the rigorous course.
He said that working with the physical therapy team has been a huge benefit to both the cadre and PRC participants.
"We reached out to the physical therapy team and asked them what they could do to help us identify those injuries before the students come into the course and potentially injure themselves," he said.
The physical therapy team suggested that candidates wishing to attend the course complete an FMS, where Soldiers would perform a series of exercises used to identify whether they may be predisposed to physical injury.
Lt. Col. J. Craig Taylor, 10th Mountain Division (LI) surgeon, said that the FMS screening is an optimal way to tackle this issue.
"I think we all have an idea of our own fitness level, but the screening gives us a much more objective view of where we are at in terms of overall fitness," he said. "Some Soldiers may be excellent runners, but (they may) not realize that they are lacking in the area of flexibility or core strength."
Capt. Joel Davis, 2nd Brigade Combat Team physical therapist, said that the screening helps to identify those Soldiers who may need some rehabilitative care before beginning the course.
"We are looking to identify those Soldiers who might have issues with flexibility, imbalances or minor injuries that might be exacerbated during the course," he said. "Even when someone passes the assessment, we show them some corrective strategies to work on any areas of deficiency we found so that they can continue to strengthen their bodies and perform to their full potential."
Boudreau said that the assessment has already proven to be a highly effective tool.
"It gives Soldiers an opportunity to rehabilitate or strengthen any areas of deficiency before they show up to that high-intensity training," he said. "We have been doing this for about three months now, and we've seen more than a 50-percent decrease in our medical drop-out rates."
Harris said that he is extremely proud to be a part of the physical therapy team and he looks forward to future opportunities to educate, strengthen and empower the Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division.
"When you're in the Army, you're part of the team," he said. "Soldier readiness is what we are here for -- to make sure that Soldiers are fit and ready to be part of that team and contribute to fulfilling the mission."
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