MS Physical Therapy Includes the Tutor System

TAMPA, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting the brain and nervous system, causing nerve impulses to be slowed or stopped for approximately 400,000 people in the U.S. today. Patients are travelling hundreds, even thousands of miles, for a controversial treatment that’s only performed by a few doctors in the U.S.
A year ago, 48-year-old Barbara Garcia couldn’t get across the room without a walker or wheelchair. Multiple sclerosis was taking its toll both physically and mentally.
Tests showed Barbara had a narrowing in the jugular veins that some say is associated with MS. When Doctor Bulent Arslan saw her tests, he agreed to do an experimental MS procedure called venoplasty for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI. In the procedure dye is injected into the jugular veins to locate the narrowed area. Then, similar to an angioplasty, a balloon’s inserted into the vein and inflated to improve blood flow from the brain toward the heart.
“We do that until we get enough improvement so that blood flow is not restricted. Barbara started showing improvement right on the table”, said Bulent Arslan, M.D., an associate professor of radiology at the University of South Florida.He is also an associate member of the Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute .
He wanted to see her walk and sure enough, she was able to get up and walk around the bed.
Now, Barbara can do a lot more than that, like take care of her granddaughter, even vacation in Spain. But some doctors still believe the short- and long-term benefits of balloon venoplasty are being blown out of proportion.
Bruce Zwiebel, M.D., an interventional radiologist at Tampa General Hospital said “We need to make sure this procedure works, make sure it’s durable, find out more about it,”.
Barbara is happy enough that she is free of a walker or wheelchair .
Barbara’s case was the first of 120 of these procedures for Doctor Arslan. He says that Venoplasty is not a cure, but 70 to 80 percent of his MS patients whose tests confirm CCSVI show improvement following treatment. To date more than two-million dollars has been committed to study the procedure in the U.S. and Canada.
The newly developed HANDTUTOR and its sister devices (ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) have become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation and physical and occupational therapy for MS patients. 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 MS, Parkinson’s, stroke, CP or TBI 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.