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Neuro physical therapy for people rebuilding strength, balance and mobility after a brain injury, spinal cord injury or stroke. Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation in Hammond, with CARF-accredited residential and brain injury programs, for patients from across Louisiana.
Physical therapy rehabilitation is a licensed physical therapist's treatment plan to restore movement and function after an injury or illness. In neurological rehab, physical therapy focuses on strength, balance, walking, transfers and endurance, helping the brain and body relearn movement so a person can get around more safely and independently.
At NeuLife Rehabilitation of Louisiana, physical therapy is one of the core therapies in every patient's plan. Our physical therapists work alongside occupational, speech and cognitive therapists, nurses and physicians as part of our neurorehabilitation program.
Most people picture physical therapy rehab after a knee replacement or a sports injury. That work focuses on muscles, joints and tissues that need to heal. Neuro physical therapy starts from a different problem: the muscles may be fine, but the brain or spinal cord is no longer sending signals the way it used to.
After a brain injury, spinal cord injury or stroke, a person may have weakness on one side, poor balance, stiffness, reduced sensation or trouble coordinating movement. Thinking skills can also affect movement. A patient who has trouble with attention or memory may forget safety steps, lose focus halfway through a transfer or misjudge their own limits.
Neuro physical therapy works with the nervous system's ability to reorganize, known as neuroplasticity. Recovery responds to focused, repeated practice of real tasks. That is why our physical therapists spend so much time on movements patients actually need, like standing up from a bed, walking to meals or getting in and out of a car, instead of relying on isolated exercises alone.
Our physical therapists treat people recovering from a wide range of neurological injuries. Many patients have more than one diagnosis, and each plan is built around the individual.
Balance, coordination and walking problems after falls, car accidents, assaults or sports injuries. See our brain injury rehabilitation program.
Mobility, strength and use of mobility aids after traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury. Learn about our spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Weakness on one side, balance problems and relearning to walk after a stroke. Read more about stroke rehabilitation.
Recovery after an aneurysm, brain tumor, meningitis, near-drowning or lack of oxygen following a heart attack.
Patients with both a spinal cord injury and a traumatic brain injury, whose physical, functional and cognitive challenges need to be treated together.
Every plan starts with an evaluation and the patient's own goals. Depending on the injury, physical therapy may focus on any of these areas.
Rebuilding strength in weakened muscles and improving control of arms, legs and trunk so movements become steadier and more purposeful.
Sitting and standing balance, posture and weight shifting, which are the foundation for almost every other mobility goal.
Practicing walking with or without a cane, walker or other device, on different surfaces and distances patients will face at home.
Moving safely between a bed, chair, toilet, shower or car, often one of the biggest steps toward going home.
Learning to use mobility aids and adaptive technologies that support activities at home, at work and in the community.
Building stamina for a full day of activity and keeping the body active to help prevent complications during recovery.
In our residential program, physical therapy does not end when a session ends. Patients live on site with care available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the skills they practice in therapy get used right away: walking to meals, getting ready in the morning and moving between rooms.
This kind of inpatient PT is built around real life. Our goal is to increase mobility in all environments, not just during therapy sessions. Therapy may connect to personal interests, return-to-work activities or recreational and social activities, which gives patients a reason to keep pushing on hard days.
We also work to start rehabilitation as early as possible once a patient is ready, because steady, intensive practice after the hospital stay is when many people make important gains.
The right level of care depends on medical needs, safety and how much support is available at home. Our clinical team helps families choose.
| Inpatient PT (residential) | Outpatient PT | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Patients who no longer need hospital care but still need daily medical oversight and intensive therapy | Patients living safely at home who need continued therapy to keep progressing |
| Support | Care 24 hours a day, seven days a week | Therapy visits while living at home |
| Team | PT alongside occupational, speech and cognitive therapy, nursing and medical care | Focused on remaining goals |
| Main focus | Rebuilding core mobility and safety for the move home | Refining skills for home, work and community life |
Mobility rarely improves in isolation. A patient learning to walk again may also be working on memory, speech or dressing. That is why our physical therapists coordinate closely with the rest of the interdisciplinary team.
Occupational therapists build on mobility gains so patients can use them for daily activities like dressing, grooming and cooking. Cognitive and speech therapists help with the attention, memory and communication skills that affect safe movement. Nurses and physicians manage the medical side of recovery, and psychological counseling supports the emotional adjustment that comes with a major injury.
Our multi-specialty team also includes neuropsychologists, recreational specialists, dietitians, community reintegration specialists and case managers, with more than 200 years of combined experience in clinical residential rehabilitation.
Every recovery moves at its own pace, but most patients follow the same general path.
After admission, the clinical team completes a full evaluation, including how the patient moves, balances, walks and transfers.
Goals reflect what matters to the patient, such as walking to the mailbox, climbing the steps into the house or getting into the car for a family outing.
Physical therapy is part of a structured daily schedule, and the plan is updated as strength and mobility improve.
Caregivers are invited into therapy to learn how to help safely with walking, transfers and mobility aids before the patient goes home.
We plan the transition home, to work, school or the community, with a continuum of care and outpatient options available after residential rehab ends.
Kelly Ruth, PT, DPT, earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology from Mississippi State University in 2011 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Arkansas State University in 2015. She has devoted most of her career to neurological rehabilitation.
At NeuLife, Kelly works closely with people recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. She takes a functional, evidence-based approach, with treatment plans designed to promote neuroplasticity, independence and long-term progress.
Physical therapy is supported by clinical leadership from Shae Monistere, RN, DON, Executive Director, and works alongside our occupational therapy team, led by Elizabeth Weisinger, OTR/L, who has 37 years of experience as a licensed occupational therapist.
NeuLife Rehabilitation of Louisiana has been accredited by CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, since 2020 for our Residential Rehabilitation Program and Brain Injury Specialty Program.
We partner with the Brain Injury Association of Louisiana and the United Spinal Association of Louisiana. Read our mission and values to learn how we approach care.
Families in Hammond, Ponchatoula, Baton Rouge, the Northshore and New Orleans often compare several options before choosing. These questions help.
Patients come to NeuLife from across Louisiana and the Southeast. The best way to decide is to see the program in person.
Outpatient physical therapy means regular trips to Hammond, so distance matters. Patients from Baton Rouge, the Northshore and the New Orleans area are often close enough to continue outpatient PT after a residential stay.
For patients from Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe or Shreveport, residential care usually works better. Physical therapy happens every day on site, alongside occupational and speech therapy, and families learn safe transfers and equipment use before the trip home.
Typical drive times to Hammond, which vary with traffic:
See every region on our Areas We Serve page, or call 844-393-5433 to ask about a transfer from a hospital near you.
Neuro physical therapy is physical therapy for people whose movement problems come from damage to the brain, spinal cord or nerves. It focuses on strength, balance, walking, transfers and coordination, using repeated practice of real tasks to help the nervous system relearn movement.
Inpatient PT happens while the patient lives at the rehab center with daily medical care and therapy. Outpatient physical therapy happens while the patient lives at home and visits for therapy. Inpatient care is usually the better fit when someone is not yet safe to go home.
People with weakness, poor balance, trouble walking or difficulty moving safely after a brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke or other acquired brain injury often benefit. A clinical evaluation helps decide the right level of care.
Yes. Physical therapy after a spinal cord injury focuses on strength, mobility, using mobility aids and adaptive technologies, and preventing complications. The goal is to help each person move as independently as possible at home and in the community.
Yes. Physical therapy helps stroke and brain injury survivors rebuild strength on a weaker side, improve balance and practice walking and transfers. Progress depends on the injury and the individual.
It depends on the injury, its severity and the patient's goals. Some people need a few weeks of inpatient care, while others need longer stays followed by outpatient therapy. Patients in our spinal cord injury program typically stay no less than four weeks.
Yes. Caregivers are invited to take part in therapy and learn how to help safely with walking, transfers and mobility aids, so everyone is ready for the move home.
Licensed physical therapists with neurological rehab experience, including Kelly Ruth, PT, DPT, who holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Arkansas State University. Learn more on our Our Team page.
Yes. NeuLife is accredited by CARF for its Residential Rehabilitation Program and Brain Injury Specialty Program. Details are on our Accreditations page.
We are at 41238 Adams Rd, Hammond, LA 70403, between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Get directions or call 844-393-LIFE (5433).
We know that choosing the next step in your recovery from a Brain Injury or Spinal Cord Injury is complex. Together, we can help you take the next step.
Contact us with any questions today.
