Following the recent birth of her child, Amanda Orand didn’t expect
to bounce back immediately to her former self. Neither did she expect
postpartum issues to interfere with her ability to do her job as a local
high school teacher and junior varsity coach.
Physical therapist Laurie VanCott helped teacher/coach/new mom Amanda
Orand return to form after the birth of her baby.
But pain and pelvic strength issues were making it difficult for her to
even set up cones on the practice field, let alone get back to enjoying
her own athletic pastimes.
Her fortunes changed for the better when she was referred to Hood River
Therapy and began working with physical therapist Laurie VanCott. The
practice offers comprehensive physical, speech and occupational therapy
services, in addition to specialized women’s services such as pelvic
health and persistent pain management.
VanCott specializes in areas that often impact women like pre- and post-partum
pelvic pain, incontinence and prolapse.
In addition to one-on-one therapy sessions with VanCott, Orand took advantage
of Hood River Therapy’s unique Mommy Wellness classes.
The program, led by VanCott, includes a variety of classes and discussions
for new mothers covering an array of subjects, including some that aren’t
as frequently addressed like incontinence and continuing postpartum pain.
“It gives you an awareness of the importance of being patient with
your body, about healing after pregnancy and the changes a woman goes
through,” Orand says. “I learned that there were actually
solutions to some of the things I was experiencing, and I didn’t
know that before.”
Mommy Wellness takes a multidisciplinary approach, bringing in specialists
and therapists from diverse areas to address the many concerns that new
moms may be dealing with. It also lets new mothers hear from others who
are experiencing some of the same issues, such as continuing pain and
lack of sleep.
Ultimately the program, and the specialized therapy provided by VanCott,
helped Orand get back the quality of personal and work life she had enjoyed
before childbirth.
“My experience with Laurie and the rest of the team at Hood River
Therapy helped me understand all the changes a woman’s body goes
through during and after pregnancy,” Orand says. “It also
helped me realize that you can still get back to the things you love.”
VanCott stresses that the Hood River Therapy team is trained and experienced
in a variety of specialty areas beyond women’s health.
“For example, I have a specialty in pelvic health, but I still treat
other areas like shoulder, low back pain and hip issues,” she says.
The clinic’s persistent pain program has also been very successful.
More than 100 million Americans suffer from persistent pain, and Hood
River Therapy is helping many of the Gorge residents who are among them.
Education, along with hands-on therapy, can make a significant difference
when dealing with pain that’s lasted for more than three months,
VanCott says.
VanCott says the entire Hood River Therapy team is proud to be able to
serve area residents with comprehensive therapy services, some of which
have not been previously available in the area. “We are very committed
to the community and take pride in what we do,” she says. “We’re
also committed to staying current in our field by continuing to educate
ourselves on what the best treatment options are for our patients.”
For more information about Hood River Therapy, call 541-386-2441 or search
Facebook for Hood River Therapy.