Community Hospital’s Rehabilitation Center is offering a new treatment to relieve pain, stiffness, swelling, and hypersensitivity to hands, wrists, forearms, and feet. The new treatment uses a fluidotherapy machine, which offers a dry heat therapy featuring fluidization technology. This advanced therapy harnesses the unique characteristics of fluidized particles to provide effective relief for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.

Community Hospital Occupational Therapy (OT) Coordinator, Sara Mashek, submitted an equipment grant for a fluidotherapy machine to the Community Hospital Health Foundation. Mashek explained, “Fluidotherapy provides a means of achieving heat and desensitization to a hand/wrist/forearm/foot while providing an opportunity for the patient to complete active exercises inside the machine, under the direction of a therapist.” She went on to say, “Studies show fluidotherapy, in conjunction with traditional therapy, can increase a patient’s success after injury, surgery, or management of chronic conditions.”  

To use, patients insert their arm or foot into a rectangular machine and perform exercises while fine, warmed material surrounds the extremity. The treatment relieves pain and stiffness, enhances blood circulation, reduces inflammation, improves range of motion, and can decrease hypersensitivity.  

OT, Laren Roper, has provided fluidotherapy treatments to patients with successful outcomes. Roper states “I like to use fluidotherapy for 20 minutes as a warm-up at the beginning of a therapy session. Patients seem to enjoy the treatment and describe it as feeling like a ‘dry whirlpool’.”  

“The fluidotherapy machine provides our team of skilled therapists one more tool in their tool belt as they tailor treatment plans to each patient's unique needs.” Says Health Foundation Director Jessica Bortner adding, “We are thankful to community donors for making this new treatment option possible.”

Community Hospital is committed to providing accessible and effective rehabilitation services to our community. Contact the Community Hospital Rehabilitation Center to learn more about fluidotherapy and schedule your personalized treatment session.

Community Hospital Occupational Therapy Coordinator, Sara Mashek sits comfortably while her forearm and hand receive dry heat therapy in a new fluidotherapy machine at the Community Hospital Rehabilitation Center.