Physical Rehabilitation and Music Therapy

The effects of music are being recognized more and more in the field of rehabilitation medicine. Music therapy services are used to assist in the physical recovery and health maintenance of clients.It is known that music encourages participation in exercises and activities. Music can also ease the discomfort and difficulty associated with exercise and therapy activities. It can also help ensure consistent participation.
One of the goals of the music therapist is to provide a means for the client to express himself in a musical activity. Music therapy and rehabilitation medicine are starting to find a common goal in working together with clients who suffer from various neurological or orthopedic conditions. Therapeutic application of music during rehabilitation exercises contribute to the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. Combined goals could include improving strength, range of motion, balance, communication, and cognition.
Occupational therapists use the medium of music and the services of the music therapy discipline, in helping clients maximize their independence in their daily occupational roles. Researchers in Finland have found that stroke patients who listen to music for a couple of hours a day had significantly enhanced recoveries. Their findings were reported in the medical journal, Brain. A research team started working with survivors as soon as possible after hospitalization. As the brain can undergo dramatic changes during the first weeks and months of recovery, it is important to start listening during the acute post-stroke stage.
Changes can be enhanced by stimulation from the environment according to one researcher. A study showed that three months after stroke, verbal memory had improved by 60 percent in music listeners, by 18 percent in audio book listeners, and by 29 percent in non-listeners. Ability to control and perform mental operations and resolve conflict among responses improved measurably for those that were involved in a music group. The music group also experienced less depression and confusion than another group that worked without music.
Along with the music stroke patients that are in the recovery period and need to improve movement in an affected limb can avail themselves of the state of the art rehabilitation solutions such as the HANDTUTOR or LEGTUTOR., The newly developed TUTOR system (which also includes the ARMTUTOR and 3DTUTOR), has become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation for 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 gloves or 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 allowing them to move their affected limb again. Subsequently the TUTOR system provides exercises that are challenging and motivating and allows for repetitive and intensive exercise practice. The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are now part of the rehabilitation solutions program of leading U.S. German, Italian, French, UK and other foreign hospitals. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Young Women’s Chances of Suffering a Stroke

Did you know that more women die of stroke than from Aids or breast cancer combined? Stroke is the second leading cause of women’s death in the entire world. The misconception is that the public thinks that stroke is an old lady’s affliction. Many young women and especially those on birth control pills or going through pregnancy suffer strokes.
Unfortunately emergency rooms are too slow in diagnosing stroke in women preferring rather to check for drug intake or bacteria before discovering the real reason for weakness in an arm or leg. Once a CT scan is administered and they see the truth the doctors then question the women about their use of birth control pills and smoking.
It may be true that women are atypical in their symptoms and therefore it may be more difficult to diagnose them than men. Dr. Steven J. Kittner, director of the Maryland Stroke Center and Goddess Fund Medical Advisory Board member, has done extensive work with young women and stroke. Young women are not thought of as being a high risk for stroke. The Goddess Fund is dedicated to the education of health care professionals and also disseminates information needed for stroke prevention and treatment.
Another problem is that some stroke organizations don’t sufficiently explain the risks of birth control pills as a potential cause of stroke. Smoking and taking birth control pills is especially dangerous. The combination increases the risk of stroke 22% more than the average person. Some doctors, though, have stopped prescribing certain birth control pills to those that smoke.
According to WHO, the Women’s Health Organization, those that use ”the pill” are 3 times more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke than non users. WHO also found that oral contraceptive users over the age of 35 had a greater risk of getting a hemorrhagic stroke compared to non users.
Most frustrating is the slow and difficult process of rehabilitation. Exercises to improve fine muscle coordination and other skills are arduous. Luckily there are modern physical therapy products and solutions that can greatly improve movement ability for stroke victims young or old. One such set of tools is the TUTOR system. The newly developed HANDTUTOR and its sister devices (ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) have become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation for stroke victims as well as for those recovering from brain and spinal injuries,Parkinson’s, MS, CP and other limb disabling limitations.
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 movement showing the patient how much active or assisted active movement they are actually doing. The software uses special rehabilitation games to set a new target for this movement 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 trying to gain this new objective. In this way the patient is given feedback that allows him to understand which effort is more successful. The TUTOR system provides exercises that are challenging and motivating and allows for repetitive and intensive exercise practice. The TUTOR system is now part of the rehabilitation solution of leading U.S. German, Italian, French, UK and other foreign hospitals. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Neighborhood Effect on Stroke Patient Recovery

According to Cari Jo Clark, Sc.D., assistant professor, medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Scott C. Brown, Ph.D., research assistant professor, epidemiology and public health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine writing in the journal Stroke on April 14, 2011, seniors that live in neighborhoods where they have a lot of neighborly interaction stand a much better chance of surviving a stroke.
Each factor of cohesion with their neighbor (seeing, talking, calling on them for assistance etc.) increases the survival rate by 53 percent and may even prevent mortality. These factors show the importance of living in a positive and cohesive neighborhood according to Dr. Clark.
In the Chicago area study neighbors were asked about talking to people in the street, doing yard work, taking care of children and whether they watched out for each other, whether neighbors were known by name, how many friends they had and who they could call on for help. This is called ”cohesion”. Even after taking into account factors such as: socioeconomic status, high blood pressure, smoking, physical inactivity, diabetes and obesity the findings still remained significant.
Strangely and without explanation the positive effects of the study were found for whites and not blacks. Further research is needed to determine why this cohesiveness is not shared equally by the different race groups. Dr. Brown believes that shared values might promote healthy behaviors between neighbors. There might be other factors that come into play such as health care access or crime.
Access to the best rehabilitation systems may alleviate physical problems resulting from the stroke. Such systems include the TUTORs. Known as the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR, they have been designed to optimize motor, sensory and cognitive performance for stroke patients and thereby improve their quality of life. These innovative devices implement an impairment based program with augmented feedback and encourage motor learning through intensive active exercises. These exercises are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive training tailored to the patient’s performance. This training is tailored and customized by the occupational and physical therapist to ensure that the patient stays motivated to do intensive repetitive manual therapy and exercise practice.
The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are now part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. and foreign hospitals with the TUTORs being used in clinics and in the patient’s homes. The system is also used for physical rehabilitation after TBI, SCI, CP and effects of Parkinson’s disease, upper and lower limb surgeries and other issues of physical disability. Home care patients can be supported by the occupational and physical therapist offering tele-rehabilitation. The TUTORs are FDA and CE certified. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM

The Benefits of Exercise for Parkinson’s Patients

Most people have the attitude that when tragedy or illness strikes then all kinds of treatments begin but smarter ones know that certain preventative routines should exist all the time so that when the disease or disabling event occurs recovery can come quicker. Such is the reasoning behind intensive exercising as it relates to Parkinson’s disease, for example. Exercise can play an important part in treatment for someone that suffers from this debilitating disease. It can help slow the progression according to some experts as well as patients who exercised for some time as a regular life routine.
Exercise, together with medication, remains one of the primary treatments for the management of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder of the nervous system, according to experts.
According to Matt Brodsky, assistant professor of neurology at Portland’s Oregon Health & Science University. “There is evidence in clinical studies that regular aerobic activity triggers activity in the brain that seems to be protective”.
So it is important to continue an exercise routine even after such a diagnosis. Exercise can help develop strength, flexibility, balance, gait, communication and fine-motor skills.
People with good cardiovascular health who have the disease score better on cognitive and muscle tests and tend to live longer, according to researchers at Harvard University.
When Parkinson’s disables limbs in the upper or lower extremities much improvement has been accomplished using the TUTOR system. The HAND TUTOR and the LEGTUTOR are designed to afford the Parkinson’s patient intensive exercise so as to assist the patient in recovering hand or leg mobility.
The TUTOR system consists of ergonomic wearable devices (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) together with powerful dedicated rehabilitation software. The system is indicated for patients in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction.The system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. Controlled exercise practice will help to prevent the development of compensatory movement patterns. The dedicated software allows the therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition the therapist can objectively and quantitatively evaluate and report on the treatment progress. The rehabilitation system optimizes the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTOR system is FDA and CE certified. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for further information.

Be Aware of Stroke Symptoms for Women

Women suffer strokes at a rate that sometimes exceeds that of men. They should be aware of unique symptoms such as:

sudden face and limb pain
sudden hiccups
sudden nausea
sudden general weakness
sudden chest pain
sudden shortness of breath
sudden palpitations
If any of these occur emergency services should be contacted immediately. There is only a limited amount of time (a 3 hour window of opportunity after the first signs) to get proper medical care There is a special clot reducing medication that can reduce long term disability if administered on time.
Use the F.A.S.T. method.
F—FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T—TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 or emergency services immediately.
When the patient has recovered sufficiently from the initial effects of the stroke and now needs to undertake physical rehabilitation solutions
to repair any residual disability of a limb one of the newest medical tools available is the TUTOR system. Consisting of the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR these devices improve fine motor, sensory and cognitive impairments through intensive active exercises with augmented feedback.
Now in use in leading U.S. and European hospitals the TUTOR system is certified by the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Traumatic Brain Injury and the Child

Children even from the age of 5 are not immune to a traumatic brain injury. With their many activities, often unsupervised, they can fall, become injured in a sports activity or be a passenger in a car that crashes. Fortunately, today the medical care for brain injury is much improved from what it was 10 or 20 years ago. The effectiveness of the therapy will be the care received from the proffessionals and the support received from the family and community. Studies show that socially disadvantaged children with TBI had an outcome more adverse than those coming from a more adjusted community. Conversely there are findings that suggest that pediatric TBI has long-term effects on behavior and achievement but that post injury progress is influenced by the family environment. When it comes to residual physical disability the level of rehabilitation that the child receives plays an important role in a return to normalcy and a reduction of adverse socialization by the child’s peers.
Having the availability of modern rehabilitation tools such as the HANDTUTOR and LEGTUTOR can allow the child to rehabilitate at a faster pace than previous generations. The TUTOR system consists of a glove for the hand and a brace for the leg that are connected to dedicated software and afford the patient to exercise an affected limb. The TUTOR devices (which include an ARMTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) aim to optimize sensory and cognitive performance and thereby to better perform everyday functional tasks and improve quality of life. The powerful evaluation software gives the therapist objective and qualitative information on the patient’s functional impairment. Treatment sessions are thereby customized to the patient’s abilities.
Currently in use in leading hospitals and clinics in the U.S. and Europe the TUTOR system can also be used at home through telerehabilitation.
Certified by the FDA and CE more information is available by accessing WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM

Stroke Rehabilitation Can be Effective Months and Years After the Event

As reported by LENNY BERNSTEIN of THE WASHINGTON POST on March 22, 2012
It was March 15, 2010 the day before Brott’s 45th birthday when she suffered a stroke that affected the entire left side of her body. Even though they still comprise a tiny proportion of all stroke victims, nearly 2 per cent of women aged 35 to 54 suffer a stroke according to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. That is up half of 1 percent since a decade earlier. The stroke rate for women in this age group has tripled, but the rate for men has remained the same.
It is unknown why so many relatively young women are having strokes, but obesity is the prime suspect. According to USC neurologist Amytis Towfighi statistics showed that the proportion of women with abdominal obesity had risen from 47 percent to 59 per cent in a decade.
Researchers have learned that exercise can help younger stroke victims such as Brott regain function, even years after they are stricken. A well known 2011 study supports the therapeutic approach like the one Brott stumbled upon when she returned to the gym.
”The secret to recovery in stroke is to continue working on your balance, continue working on your upper extremities, continue working on your lower extremities,” said Pamela W. Duncan, a neurology professor at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., and co-leader of the Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke (LEAPS) research project.
The LEAPS researchers had originally set out to determine whether supporting stroke victims in harnesses to help them walk on treadmills would improve mobility more effectively than structured physical therapy at home, assisted by a therapist.
But after testing 408 stroke survivors Duncan unexpectedly discovered that the harness and treadmill produced approximately identical results as the structured at-home therapy. Even more interesting was another finding: A group of patients whose therapy was delayed for the purpose of comparison also showed improvement when their therapy began.
“No matter when you start an intense, progressive program, it works,” said Katherine J. Sullivan, a neuroscientist and an associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Southern California.
This is good news for stroke survivors, because delays in rehabilitation are inevitable for those who must be stabilized medically before they can even attempt minimal exercise.
“Rehabilitation can have some impact even months to years after a stroke,” said Ralph Sacco, past president of the American Heart/ Stroke Association. “The brain can recover and relearn. Physical activity can open up new pathways.”
The 795,000 strokes that Americans suffer annually vary widely in severity and location in the brain, with effects that range from death to little or no impairment. Stroke is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States; women tend to survive more often than men but are more likely to be disabled, according to Towfighi.
The HANDTUTOR and LEGTUTOR systems are recently introduced medical devices that assist stroke patients in regaining proper balance and to bring upper and lower extremities back to normal activity.
The system, including the ARMTUTOR and 3DTUTOR, provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s efforts. Controlled exercise of multijoints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks.
The accompanying software system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the physical and occupational therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition, the OT and PT can make objective follow up reports on their patient’s progress. Rehabilitation aims to optimize the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTORS are also used for patients suffering from Parkinson’s, MS, CP and a variety of disabling ailments. Telerehabilitation allows the recovering patient to continue his physical therapy at home after he is stabilizd.
The TUTORs are certified by the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.
The system is used by many leading rehabilitation centers worldwide and has full FDA and CE certification. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Brain Injury Awareness Month and the Tutor System

Just released on March 21, 2012 in relation to Brain Injury Awareness Day a clinical trial reached an important enrollment milestone for TBI.
There have been more than 75 clinical trials in the past 20 years to find an effective treatment for TBI according to the President of BHR Pharma. He announced that they were closer to potentially having the first drug treatment for severe TBI ever approved.
Four hundred patients were used for this new trial.
The theme of this year’s Brain Injury Awareness Month is “Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone – Brain Injuries Do Not Discriminate.” Unfortunately each year, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI and it contributes to a third of all injury-related deaths in the U.S. TBI is a global problem and can affect anyone.
Aside from happening to athletes and military veterans, it can also happen even as a result of a skateboarding accident. Participating in the clinical trial gave hope to the participants during a most difficult time when they felt they had no options.
Previous clinical trials suggest that progesterone can improve outcomes for TBI victims. The therapy must be started within eight hours of sustaining a TBI. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug status to BHR-100 and has placed the drug on a Fast Track Development Program designed to accelerate its potential approval.
When the TBI patient recovers sufficiently to begin rehabilitation therapy for affected limbs and joints the TUTOR system can come into play.
Occupational and physical therapists use the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR – known as the ”TUTOR SYSTEM” – as a manual therapy tool to help them with their rehabilitative work.
The TUTOR system has shown much success in the rehabilitation of joint movement. The newly developed TUTORs consist of ergonomic wearable devices. The HANDTUTOR is a glove for hand therapy and the ARMTUTOR is an arm brace for elbow and shoulder rehabilitation, the LEGTUTOR is a leg brace for legs and hip issues. The system is indicated for patients who have suffered TBI or a stroke, SCI, CP, MS, Parkinson’s disease and other mobility restraining illnesses. It is used by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction.
The accompanying software system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the physical and occupational therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition, the OT and PT can prepare an objective follow up and reports on their patient’s progress. Rehabilitation aims to optimize the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life.
The TUTORS are certified by the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Land and Water for Post Knee Replacement Therapy

No doubt that obesity, physically demanding work and traumatic knee injury are major risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. Undoubtedly, rehabilitation of knee-replacement patients is a science in and of itself. As such, it requires serious consideration about how best to address one basic need: Getting the individual to function normally as soon as possible.
ONE of the methods used in rehabilitation is aquatic therapy. It allows patients to use the healing properties of water in an effort to reduce pain, increase range of motion, improve strength, control edema and promote improved functional activity, tolerance and endurance.
It has been found that rehabbing and exercising in a pool environment (as a SUPPLEMENT to a land-based program) is more beneficial for those recovering from knee replacements than exercising on land alone.
Water buoyancy assists in supporting the weight of the patient. Therefore, even if a patient is overweight or obese, joint stress is minimized, as is the risk of falling. Following surgery, patients regularly experience difficulty with their balance as well as control of the surgical limb.
The pool provides a challenging environment in which the physical therapist can work on balance, proprioceptive control and safety. This can translate to a reduced risk of falls and improved patient safety. It also equates to patients improving their mobility, strength and function rapidly throughout their rehabilitation.
It is also known that knee osteoarthritis can place a great strain on a person, possibly leading to depression and poor self-esteem. The positive physiological benefits of therapy actually spill over into the psyche of patients which can decrease their anxiety levels and improve their body image.
Therapy, in general, gives people hope of a full recovery. A patient once said,”Land therapy was beneficial; however, the aqua therapy helped warm up my joints and muscles to prepare me for land therapy.
The other therapeutic method that has shown much help to knee replacement patients is the TUTOR system. It has been designed to get the patient to function normally as soon as possible. It can reduce pain, increase range of motion, improve strength, balance and control of the limb. Once that happens there can be less risk of falling and a feeling of more security.
The LEGTUTOR with its sister devices (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) allows the physical therapist to prescribe a leg rehabilitation program customized to the patient’s knee and hip movement ability at their stage of rehabilitation. The LEGTUTOR uses biofeedback to keep the patient motivated to do the exercise practice in the form of challenging games. They are suitable for a wide variety of other neurological and orthopedic injuries and diseases as well as post trauma and orthopedic surgery. The TUTOR system is used by many leading rehabilitation centers worldwide and has full FDA and CE certification. It is designed for children and adults and can be used at home supported by telerehabilitation.
See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Rodeo Riders–Prime Benefactors of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation

Steven Turner, Joao Henrique, Adam Jamison–not exactly everyday names that you would be familiar with. But if you’re into the world of Rodeo you would know them as some of the world’s best and most successful rodeo riders.
Rodeo riders alone can keep physical and occupational therapists busy most of the time. These are people who are most likely to be in need of the latest physiotherapy methods available. When they fall off the horse
they are likely to incur a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, a broken neck or at least broken limbs.
A recently innovated and efficient set of medical devices to assist the patient in recovering movement ability lost due to one of the disabilities listed above is the TUTOR system.
Consisting of the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR the system has shown much success in rehabilitation of joint movement as well. The TUTORs consist of ergonomic wearable devices. The HANDTUTOR is a glove for hand therapy and the ARMTUTOR is an arm brace for elbow and shoulder rehabilitation. The LEGTUTOR is a leg brace for leg and hip. The system is indicated for patients who have suffered TBI, a stroke, SCI, CP, MS, Parkinson’s disease and other mobility restraining illnesses as well. It is used by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed especially for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction.
The accompanying software system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the physical and occupational therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition, the OT and PT can make objective follow up reports on their patient’s progress. Rehabilitation aims to optimize the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTORS are certified by the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

The Option of Exercise for the Cancer Patient

According to studies conducted Cancer patients may benefit from physical exercise both during and after treatment even though the specific beneficial effects of physical exercise may vary as a function of the stage of disease, the nature of the medical treatment, and the current lifestyle of the patient.
Many, if not most, cancer patients are interested in prolonging their life and not ”giving up”. Getting involved in an exercise program suitable to their medical status can be one of the best options for living an active life and returning to normal activities.
As an example breast cancer patients can make use of devices like the ARMTUTOR which allows for reaching out and
performing controlled and repetitive exercise rehabilitation practice. It does this through the use of various games which are at a patient-customized level with real time accurate feedback on the patient’s performance. The rehabilitation games are also suitable for a wide variety of neurological and orthopedic injuries and diseases.
The games challenge the patient to perform the exercise at a customized difficulty level. This level is set by the OT or PT and encourages the patient to do intensive repetitive exercise practice.
The ARMTUTOR allows for isolated and a combination of elbow and three directional shoulder treatments. The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s exercise performance. Overall, controlled exercise of multijoints within a normal movement pattern will prevent the patient developing an undesired or compensatory joint movement pattern.
The ARMTUTOR and its sister devices (LEGTUTOR, HANDTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) can be used to exercise lower limb surgeries and cancer related disabilities. The TUTORs are used wordwide in leading hospitals and clinics. They can be used at home through telerehabilitation See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

President Obama Signs HR 3630 – 10-Month SGR & Therapy Cap Exceptions Process Extensions Included

On February 22, 2012, President Obama signed into law legislation (H.R. 3630) that delays scheduled cuts to Medicare physician reimbursement rates and extends the exceptions process to the outpatient therapy cap. With this enactment it may be possible for rehabilitation therapy for patients with stroke, upper and lower limb surgeries and a host of other disabilities to continue to get covered treatments in rehabilitation clinics. It is hoped that amongst the therapeutic tools thereby made available the TUTOR system will be prominent.
The TUTORs (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) are in the forefront of rehabilitation tools that assist patients to learn how to reuse their affected limbs after a catastrophic illness.
Occupational and physical therapists use the TUTOR system as a manual therapy tool to help them with their rehabilitative work.
The TUTOR system has shown much success in rehabilitation of joint movement. The newly developed TUTORs consist of ergonomic wearable devices. The HANDTUTOR is a glove for hand therapy and the ARMTUTOR is an arm brace for elbow and shoulder rehabilitation. The LEGTUTOR is a leg brace for leg and hip. The system is indicated for patients who have suffered TBI, a stroke, SCI, CP, MS, Parkinson’s disease and other mobility restraining illnesses. It is used by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction.
The accompanying software system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the physical and occupational therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition, the OT and PT can make objective follow up and reports on their patient’s progress. Rehabilitation aims to optimizes the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTORS are certified by the FDA .and CE See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

An Analysis of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is very common in younger people with males aged 15-35 the most severely affected. TBI can cause life long impairments both in physical but also in cognitive abilities. The focus of retraining is on ADLs, pain mangement and non physical therapies.
TBI is caused by an external force to the brain which causes at least temporary but more often permanent neurological dysfunction. TBI occurs about ten times more than Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).
The results of TBI are disruption of the patient’s and family’s life, loss of income, considerable expense, physical disability, behavioral changes, personal relationship disruption, coping with school work and much more.
TBI can be as little as a concussion all the way to getting into a vegetative state.
Vehicular accidents are the most common cause with alcohol consumption accounting for half of all incidents.
Because each person is different in many ways the goals of rehabilitation need to be individualized to the patient and his family.
Continuity of care is necessary even if there is much improvment. The care is not only medical but also familial or instuitutional.
If Post Traumatic Amnesia (PTA) occurs for less than two weeks the goal may be full recovery but if it lingers for 4-6 weeks there may be more permanent symptoms.
In general the goal of rehabilitation is to return the patient to the previous level of functioning. It consists of a) inpatient care or b) community involvement (family, community services).
70-85% suffer mild TBI and it’s rare that they would need inpatient care. 10-15% have lingering symptoms such as headache, changes in taste and hearing, attention, memory loss, insomnia and more.
Those with moderate to severe TBI have more unpredictable outcomes although some recover sufficiently to return to work and are capable of self care and normal activity. Depending on available support TBI patients will rehabilitate faster or slower.
Then there is the social disability aspect of TBI. It can affect the competency for handling financial matters and sometimes a guardianship may have to be set up. When a TBI patient returns to work he may need retraining. There may be aggression, lack of empathy, substance misuse or abuse. Social behavior may have changed. Behavioral management may be necessary. A medication regimen and managment may become necessary.
Children usually have better outcomes than adults however certain symptoms may not appear till a later stage of the child’s development.
If one of the symptoms of TBI is loss of mobility in one or more limbs the preferred rehabilitation tool may be the TUTOR system.
The TUTOR system has shown much success in rehabilitation of joint movement. The newly developed TUTORs consist of ergonomic wearable devices. The HANDTUTOR is a glove for hand therapy and the ARMTUTOR is an arm brace for elbow and shoulder rehabilitation. The LEGTUTOR is a leg brace for leg and hip. The system is indicated for patients who have suffered TBI, a stroke, SCI, CP, MS, Parkinson’s disease and other mobility restraining illnesses. It is used by occupational therapists and physiotherapists in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction.
The accompanying software system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the physical and occupational therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition, the OT and PT can make objective follow up and reports on their patient’s progress. Rehabilitation aims to optimize the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTORS are certified by the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

As part of ”Brain Injury Awareness Month” being observed during March and because there are so many instances of brain injuries now, doctors have come up with a list of symptoms that people should be aware of so as to get immediate help for someone who suffered this injury.
Not only soldiers serving in combat are prone to Traumatic Brain Injury ( TBI) but anyone, child or adult, at home, work or at play can suffer this debilitating injury. The effects of TBI include memory loss and thinking, hearing , speaking and mood difficulties amongst others. Sometimes there is a temporary loss of consciousness.
Anxiety, depression, dizziness, headaches, inability to start or finish tasks or trouble sleeping, are all some of the symptoms associated with TBI.
Therefore it is imperative to identify symptoms as early as possible.
When the TBI patient is in a recovery stage and if there has been loss of functional movement of a limb then the TUTOR system can be of great assistance to return normalcy to the affected limb.
The Tutor system (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) consists of ergonomic wearable devices together with powerful dedicated rehabilitation software. The system is indicated for patients in rehabilitation centers, private clinics and the home where it can be supported by telerehabilitation. It is designed for those who have head, trunk, upper and lower extremity movement dysfunction. The system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated and/or interjoint coordination exercises. Controlled exercise practice helps to prevent the development of compensatory movement patterns. The dedicated software allows the therapist to fully customize the exercises to the patient’s movement ability. In addition the therapist can objectively and quantitatively evaluate and report on the treatment progress. The rehabilitation system optimizes the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows the patient to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve their quality of life. The TUTOR system is FDA and CE certified.
See WWW. HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Halo removed from Hockey Player

MINNEAPOLIS – Jack Jablonski, an injured Benilde-St. Margaret’s hockey player, has reached another important step in his recovery as he undergoes rehabilitation for a spinal cord injury. A nine pound piece of equipment dubbed “the Halo” supported Jablonski’s head, neck and upper body after he suffered his paralyzing injury during a varsity game in December. It was now being removed. The family said Jablonski was thrilled to move his head and “see the world from a more normal view.” Work will now begin to strengthen his upper body.
The ARMTUTOR was developed to improve movement of upper extremity limbs and joints after spinal cord injuries. The system consists of an ergonomic wearable arm brace and dedicated rehabilitation software. The ARMTUTOR rehabilitation concept is based on performing controlled exercise rehabilitation practice at a patient customized level with real time accurate feedback on the patient’s performance. So early in recovery the occupational or physical therapists will work on improving range of motion, accuracy and speed of movements as well as muscle strength. The exercises are designed in the form of challenging games that are suitable for a wide variety of neurological and orthopedic injuries and disease.
Currently the ARMTUTOR is being used in leading U.S. hospitals and clinics together with its sister devices the HANDTUTOR, LEGTUTOR, 3DTUTOR. They are certified by the FDA and CE and are available for children as well as adults. See W.W.W.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Post Stroke Physical Rehabilitation for the Elderly Population

Michaela M. Pinter and Michael Brainin of the Department for Clinical Neurosciences and Preventive Medicine, Danube University Krems, Austria, in November 2011 published, a study about rehabilitation after stroke in the elderly population.
Since stroke is a leading cause of disability therefore rehabilitation is an integral part of patient care. Most interventions do not target aged patients but there is evidence to promote rehabilitation in stroke units in the elderly community. Till now most research has focused on the effect of interventions on recovery with different forms of impairment and disability. The most promising options for motor recovery of the arm include CIMT, robotic-assisted therapies, fitness training, high-intensity therapy, and repetitive-task training.
However, information about the clinical effect of different strategies of cognitive rehabilitation is scarce. Several trials of rehabilitation practice are underway to test these interventions on the elderly., Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and repetitive task training are included in the rehabilitation therapy afforded by the TUTOR system.
The TUTOR system allows the stroke patient to use his own power to exercise rather than receive a stimulus from an outside robotic source thereby affording a more efficient improvement in mobility. The ARMTUTOR which is used extensively in stroke therapy, has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the shoulder, elbow, wrist or upper extremity. The system consists of an ergonomic wearable arm brace and dedicated physical rehabilitation software.
The ARMTUTOR system allows for interactive rehabilitation exercise and a range of biomechanical evaluations including speed, passive and active range of motion and motion analysis of the upper extremity. This quantitative data allows physical and occupational therapists (PT) (OT) to customize the right exercise parameters to the patient’s movement ability and report on the patient’s exercise progress. The ARMTUTOR rehabilitation concept is based on performing controlled and repetitive exercise rehabilitation practice. It does this through the use of various games which are at a patient-customized level with real time accurate feedback on the patient’s performance. The rehabilitation games are suitable for a wide variety of neurological and orthopedic injuries and diseases., The games challenge the patient to perform the exercise at a customized difficulty level. This level is set by the OT or PT and encourages the patient to do intensive repetitive exercise practice.
The ARMTUTOR allows for isolated and a combination of elbow and three directional shoulder treatments. The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s exercise performance. Overall, controlled exercise of multijoints within a normal movement pattern will prevent the patient developing an undesired or compensatory joint movement pattern and this will ensure better, performance of functional tasks.
The ARMTUTOR and its sister devices (LEGTUTOR, HANDTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) are used wordwide in hospitals and clinics and are FDA and CE certified. They can be used at home through telerehabilitation. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information….

Wheelchair Strengths

Being bound to a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury (SCI) doesn’t mean that self efficacy should be withdrawn. On the contrary, motivation can exist to excel in remaining body movements and even strengthen them beyond the level they were before. In addition wheelchair skills can actually improve physical activity. These skills can help people feel more efficacious in their ability to overcome barriers to physical activity. Just belief in one’s ability to overcome barriers can play a significant role in physical activity participation by people with SCI and can decrease other health risks.
One of the exercise regimens that can bring improvement to upper or lower affected limbs and joints is included in the exclusive software of the TUTOR system. The TUTOR system consists of a HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR. These recently introduced devices are ergonomic gloves or braces that are attached to various parts of the body and connect with sensors to powerful dedicated software. The TUTOR system consists of motivating and challenging games that allow the patient to practice isolated or interjoint coordination exercises.. The therapist can then evaluate the treatment progress. The TUTOR system then optimizes the patient’s motor, sensory and cognitive performance and allows him to better perform everyday functional tasks to improve his quality of life.
Currently in use in leading U.S. and European hospitals and rehabilitation clinics the TUTOR system is appropriate for children as well as adults and can be used in the patient’s home through telerehabilitation. The TUTORs are FDA and CE certified. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Biofeedback as a Therapy for Stroke Victims

Biofeedback, a system created in the 1950′s, shows muscle movement on a screen and can thereby instruct the therapist to assist the patient on further movements. It is used for hemiparesis, swallowing problems, urinary incontinence and even to improve cognitive impairments. It is not commonly used in physical therapy settings. However the HANDTUTORand its sister devices (ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) use a form of biofeedback in its system. The intensive exercises that the patient does with the Tutor are managed by fun games on dedicated and customized software created specifically for the TUTOR. The HANDTUTOR improves fine motor, sensory and cognitive impairments through these exercises.The HANDTUTOR also includes quantitative evaluations that provide a thorough documentation of patient performance that are evaluated by physical and occupational therapists. The HANDTUTOR consists of a unique ergonomic glove that detects finger and wrist motion. It comes in different sizes, is adaptable for children and adults and can be used at home through telerehabilitation. The Tutor system is certified buy the FDA and CE. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for further information.

”Foot Drop” and its Rehabilitation

Also known as ”Drop Foot“, treatment for this disorder depends on the underlying cause. If the cause is successfully treated, foot drop may improve or even disappear.
By definition, “Foot Drop” is the dropping of the front of the foot which may be due to weakness, damage to the peroneal nerve or paralysis of the muscles in the rear portion of the lower leg. It usually is a symptom of a greater problem. It is the inability or difficulty in moving the ankle and toes in an upward position (dorsiflexion). It can occur on one or both feet. Foot drop can be caused by nerve damage alone. However, it is also caused by muscle or spinal nerve trauma, abnormal anatomy, toxins or disease.
The diseases that can cause foot drop include stroke, ALS ( Lou Gehrig’s Disease), muscular dystrophy, Charcot Marie Tooth disease, and MS. Treatment for foot drop may include: a) braces or splints that fit into the shoe and can help hold the foot in a normal position. b) Physical Therapy. Exercises that strengthen the leg muscles and help maintain the range of motion in the knee and ankle may improve gait problems. c) Stretching exercises can be very helpful to prevent the development of stiffness in the heel. Nerve stimulation of the nerve that lifts the foot improves foot drop. d) Surgery. Sometimes nerve surgery may be helpful. The surgery can fuse ankle or foot bones or transfer a functioning tendon to a different position.
If physical therapy is indicated and the patient is ready for the therapy stage then the LEGTUTOR may be effective.
The LEGTUTOR™ system has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the lower extremity including the foot, knee and hip. (It is used for knee rehabiliation following total knee replacement and knee arthroscopy). The system consists of an ergonomic wearable leg brace and dedicated rehabilitation software. The rehabilitation software allows the physiotherapist to set challenging game difficulties to the patient’s movement ability. In this way the patient undergoes controlled exercise rehabilitation practice exactly at their own movement ability. In addition the LEGTUTOR™ system gives the patient constant instructions on how to perform the exercise practice and biofeedback on how well they are performing the exercise. The quantitative biomechanical data from the evaluations in the software is used by the physical therapist to report to the patient and the multidisciplinary team on the patient’s rehabilitation progress.
Thus the LEGTUTOR™ and its sister devices (HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, 3DTUTOR) allow for both upper extremity – shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand therapy and lower extremity – foot, hip, knee, ankle physical therapy using the same rehabilitation concept., The LEGTUTOR™ allows for isolated and a combination of foot, knee and three directional hip treatment. The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s exercise performance. Controlled exercise of multi joints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks.
The LEGTUTOR™ system is used by leading rehabilitation centers in the U.S. and European rehabilitation centers and clinics and has full FDA and CE certification. For further details see WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM

Prevention Hints for Stroke and Brain Injury

Although there is no guarantee that stroke or brain injury won’t ever occur there are several preventative tips that can be taken.
Brain injury prevention tips:
1) Wear helmets on bikes and during tackle sports
2) Wear seat belts in cars and trucks for adults and children
3) Avoid violent confrontations
4) Don’t drink and drive
5) Remove tripping hazards in homes such as throw rugs
6) Install non slip mats and grab bars in tubs and showers
7) Use handrails on stairs
8) Improve lighting where necessary
9) Exercise for lower body strength and balance
10) Install window guards even on low floors if you have small children
11) Install soft flooring in playgrounds
Stroke prevention tips:
1) Quit smoking
2) Manage high blood pressure
3) Control Diabetes
4) Eat healthy foods
5) Exercise regularly
6) Get regular medical exams
7) Avoid being overweight
8) Avoid stress
9) Control high blood cholesterol, alcohol and illicit drugs
10) Be aware of stroke symptoms: facial, arm, leg weakness; speech problems
However when one of these incidents occur and the patient is now on his way to recovery the TUTOR system can be very helpful for returning normal movement ability to any affected limbs or joints. The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are gloves or braces that are attached to the appropriate part of the body. The associated exclusive software allows the patient to undergo intensive exercises in the form of challenging games which are monitored by physical and occupational therapists who then adjust the exercises to the patient’s ability.
The newly developed devices are already in use in leading U.S. and European rehabilitation hospitals and clinics. They are adaptable to be used in the home through telerehabilitation for patients that live too great a distance from a clinic or who have improved to the point where hospitalization is no longer needed. The TUTOR system is FDA and CE certified and can be used by adults and children.
See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

The Influence of Augmented Feedback After Stroke

In her Ph.d. thesis from University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, Dr. Molier discusses the influence of augmented feedback on learning upper extremity tasks after stroke. The thesis is topical due to the increasing use of augmented feedback in physical and occupational therapy of the hemiparetic arm after stroke. Also it mentions the introduction of motion feedback and robotic systems including the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR and LEGTUTOR. Based on literature reviews and her own work Dr. Molier discusses how augmented feedback has an added value to the rehabilitation and physical therapy of stroke survivors. It is that postion feedback during a functional task will show the errors that they are making and stimulate motor learning and how the patient corrects these errors. The TUTOR system - HANDTUTOR and ARMTUTOR gives the patient information on the position of more than one joint that they are exercising during the training task. This ensures that the patient is given feedback on the correct position of the arm during a functional task including reaching and pointing. This increases the benefit of the physiotherapy exercise training.
The evidence exists. TUTOR systems are relatively inexpensive so why not give the rehabilitation clinics in the US and National Health Service in the UK a budget to make the treatment options available. Allow the patient to use their disability allowances to purchase this technology and benefit from remote support, intensive physical rehabilitation and exercise practice which are shown to improve functional movement ability and rehabilitation outcome?
See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

When is Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) Beneficial?

Not everyone that suffered a stroke or other paralysis of a limb can benefit from CIMT. However, if a comprehensive evaluation performed by qualified physical therapists to determine appropriateness of strengths and weaknesses show that it can help then this relatively new method can speed the improved use of the affected limb.(CIMT is a system whereby the unaffected limb is restrained so that all exercising is concentrated on the affected limb).
There must be some shoulder, elbow or finger movement in order for the system to increase motion and strength. No memory loss, lack of eyesight or severe pain should be prevalent in order for CIMT to be effective. Once applied this therapy can increase nerve activity to the brain. New areas of the brain can be put into use with sustained and repetitive practice. Side benefits can include improvements in core strength, balance and functional mobility.
The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are recent innovations in the area of intensive and challenging exercises used by stroke victims to improve the functional ability of an affected limb.
The TUTOR system has become a key system in neuromuscular rehabilitation and physical therapy for interactive rehabilitation exercises. These innovative devices implement an impairment based program with augmented feedback and encourage motor learning through intensive active exercises. These exercises are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive training tailored to the patient’s performance by the occupational and physical therapist to ensure that the patient stays motivated.
The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are now part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. and foreign hospitals with the TUTORS being used in clinics and in the patient’s home through the use of tele-rehabilitation. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

New Brain Tracking Shows Promise For TBI Patients

Till now MRIs of the brain discovered swelling and bleeding in the brain after a head injury but not much else. The injury was difficult to diagnose and they pretty much ”worked in the dark” when it came to predict outcomes and plans for rehabilitation and recovery. Now with new research that maps the brain (nerve) fibers–white matter–in living color doctors can determine where there are breaks in the wiring similar to seeing broken bones. The new MRI based computer programs can predict if a patient will wake up from his coma and in what condition. That way they can start rehabilitation in hopes of healing the patient. Basically the high definition fiber tracking predicts what will happen.
When it is determined that meaningful rehabilitation can take place and the patient is sufficiently recovered the TUTOR system can be put into use to try to reactivate affected limbs and joints. The TUTOR system which consists of the HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR are a recent innovation created to challenge the TBI patient with intensive exercises through the use of dedicated software in the form of games that must be mastered. The patient accomplishes the various tasks using his own strengths while under the constant supervision of physical and occupational therapists. The therapists then customize an exercise program with augmented feedback.
The TUTOR system has been in use for some time now in leading U.S. and European hospitals and clinics for the rehabilitation of patients who have had a brain or spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, CP, MS, stroke, upper and lower limb surgeries and other disabilities.
The TUTOR system is certified by the FDA and CE and can also be used through telerehabilitation in the patient’s home. See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.

Telerehabilitation Therapy As Used by the Tutor System

Written in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation for a Defense and Veterans Head Injury Program Deborah L.Warden, MD etal reported on recent results of a controlled randomized trial comparing home versus inpatient cognitive rehabilitation for patients with moderate to severe head injury. It showed no overall difference in outcomes between the two groups. All patients in the home program received medical treatment as needed, a multidisciplinary in-hospital evaluation, and TBI counseling before entering the eight-week home program, which then included guidance on home activities.
When a patient as improved to the point that he doesn’t need inpatient care or if there is a homebound patient or if the patient lives at too great a distance from a physical rehabilitation facilty then telerehabilitation comes into play.
This is one of the features that the TUTOR system has. The HANDTUTOR, ARMTUTOR, LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR can be used at a distance from the patient’s personal physical or occupational therapist following inpatient treatment for traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries as well as for stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Cerebral Palsy, Radial and Ulnar nerve or Brachial Plexus injuries or any upper or lower limb surgeries where physical therapy is needed to improve the normal mobility of the affected limb(s).
The TUTOR system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patient’s efforts. Controlled exercise of multijoints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks.
See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.