By Elaine Sanchez for the American Forces Press Service
SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 12, 2012 – A military study is aiming to aid troops with mild TBI. Experts at the San Antonio Military Medical Center here have launched a military study aimed at improving results for active and non active service members suffering from traumatic brain injury.
The Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness, aka the SCORE trial, is examining cognitive rehabilitation therapy’s value as a treatment for veterans with mild TBI.
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments joined on this study to determine the best treatment for combat and non combat troops who are experiencing mild TBI symptoms — such as difficulties with attention, concentration, judgment and memory. according to Douglas B. Cooper, the study’s clinical neuropsychologist for the Traumatic Brain Injury Service.
The goal of the trial is to determine if cognitive rehabilitation therapy improves chronic mild TBI symptoms and, if so, which interventions work best.
Cognitive rehabilitation, Cooper explained, includes a variety of interventions that help the patient with brain injuries to reduce, manage or cope with cognitive deficits. It’s mostly used to treat patients with brain injuries, whether they are from concussions, penetrating brain injuries or strokes.
Cooper said his team will look at each treatment to see which interventions have proven most successful and for whom.
The HANDTUTOR system implements an impairment based rehabilitation program with augmented feedback and encourages motor learning. Improvement in motor and cognitive impairments combined with traduitional functional exercise speeds up functional recovery.
The newly developed HANDTUTOR and its sister devices (ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) have become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation and physical and occupational therapy. These innovative devices implement an impairment based exercise program with augmented feedback and encourage motor learning through intensive active exercises. Manual therapy is the provision of exercise practice by an occupational and physical therapist. As the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR allow the PT and OT to customize the exercises, the patient is given motivating tasks through computer games with biofeedback that give them the correct dose of manual therapy. This means that the TBI, Parkinson’s, stroke or CP patient is given exercises that are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive training tailored to the patient’s performance.
Even patients with severe movement dysfunction can benefit from intensive exercise practice as the TUTOR system picks up even small angles of joint movement. The TUTOR system also allows the OT and PT to make objective reports and evaluations on the patient’s movement ability so his progress can be maintained and shown to both himself and his family. This is also a strong motivation to carry on training and improve movement and functional everyday living ability. The HANDTUTOR and ARMTUTOR are a major part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. and foreign hospitals. The TUTORS are also used in clinics and at home care supported by telerehabilitation. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.
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