Rehabilitation Units that Include the Tutor System Show Success

F. Simmonds and T. Stevermuer of the Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, Caulfield Hospital, Alfred Health, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia compared the rehabilitation outcomes and demographic characteristics for both non-traumatic SCI and traumatic SCI patients admitted into either (SCIRUs)– specialist spinal cord injury rehabilitation units or (NSRUs)–non-specialist rehabilitation units . They studied 668 patients in rehabilitation units in Australia.
They found that there are differences in the characteristics of SCI patients admitted to SCIRU compared with NSRU. NT-SCI patients admitted to SCIRU have greater functional gain. When the SCI patient undergoes physical rehabilitation in an RU he will be able to avail himself of the latest equipment and medical devices to alleviate his symptoms and return him as much as possible to a normal life.
One such tool is the TUTOR system. It consists of the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR.
The newly developed HANDTUTOR, for example, has become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation for TBI and stroke victims and those recovering from spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, MS, CP and other limb movement limitations. The HANDTUTOR is a hand therapy tool used by occupational therapists. These innovative devices implement an impairment based program with augmented motion feedback that encourages motor learning through intensive active exercises and movement practice. The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR consist of wearable glove and braces that detect limb movements showing the patient how much active or assisted active movement they are actually accomplishing. The rehabilitation software uses special rehabilitation games to set a new target in terms of the patient’s ability to move their limb. The devices then measure the limb movement and give feedback on the success of the patient in this new objective. In this way the patient understands which effort is more successful in moving their affected limb again. Subsequently the TUTOR system provides exercises that are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive and intensive exercise practice.
The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are now part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. German, Italian, French, UK and other foreign hospitals. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.