The OT/ PT can use Neuromuscular stimulation and robot-assisted rehabiliation to improve finger/ wrist movement ability. Equally important is isolated and combined finger and wrist intensive exercises provided by the HandTutor in the form of customized rehabilitation games with biofeedback.
An important component in achieving optimal rehabilitation outcome is intensive active movement practice. Traditional Occupational and Physical therapy provides the patient task orientated training (TOT). TOT is intensive repetition of everyday functional tasks or Active daily living tasks. Intrinsic motor and sensory feedback from the result of the tasks will allow correction in the planning, initialization and performance of the task and assist in rehabilitation.
The MediTouch HandTutor is a rehabilitation glove and software which offers impairment oriented training and augmented feedback. The HandTutor provides repetitive customized isolated or inter joint coordinated finger and wrist hand exercises and rehabilitates fine movements of the hand and wrist. At the same time the dedicated rehabilitation software motivates the patient to continue intensive repetitive exercises by providing challenging games that have been designed around both neurological and Orthopedic conditions.
Research with the HandTutor confirms that Task oriented training should be combined with Impairment oriented (IOT) training to achieve enhanced functional recovery. The HandTutor is used in hospitals and community hand therapy clinics as well as through tele rehabilitation. Examples of patients that are treated include Stroke, TBI, spinal cord injury CP, Orthopedic hand and arm surgery, development co-ordination disorders in children etc. At the same time the dedicated rehabilitation software motivates the patient to continue intensive repetitive exercises by providing challenging games that have been designed around both neurological and orthopedic conditions.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Neuromuscular stimulation, robot-assisted rehabilitation task specific training and the HandTutor
The Occupational/ Physical therapist has in his hand therapy repertoire several techniques to maintain and improve the patient's finger and wrist movement ability including Neuromuscular stimulation and robot-assisted rehabilitation. Additionally an important component in achieving optimal rehabilitation outcome is intensive active movement practice together with task orientated training. It is widely accepted that a combination of impairment oriented training with task specific training is essential for enhancing functional recovery. The HandTutor is impairment oriented training and provides customized games and biofeedback to motivate and challenge the patient to do intensive active finger and wrist exercises and to achieve maximal functional recovery.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Hand Therapy for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a chronic condition that causes intense burning or aching pain, swelling and hypersensitivity in usually the arm or leg. The diagnosis is based on the patient presenting with a set of symptoms rather than a physiological sign. The pain usually gets gradually worse and may spread to other parts of the body.
Because the patient experiences pain during movement of the limb the patient stops to use the limb. This causes atrophy, progressive weakness and degeneration of the limb. Therefore the underlying principles of treatment are mobilization of the limb.
Case studies using the HandTutor on patients suffering from CRPS have shown that the patient moves his fingers and wrist during the exercise task presented by the dedicated rehabilitation software. It is thought that the "rehabilitation" games distract the patient from the pain allowing mobilization of the affected limb and preventing disuse atrophy and aiding functional rehabilitation.
Because the patient experiences pain during movement of the limb the patient stops to use the limb. This causes atrophy, progressive weakness and degeneration of the limb. Therefore the underlying principles of treatment are mobilization of the limb.
Case studies using the HandTutor on patients suffering from CRPS have shown that the patient moves his fingers and wrist during the exercise task presented by the dedicated rehabilitation software. It is thought that the "rehabilitation" games distract the patient from the pain allowing mobilization of the affected limb and preventing disuse atrophy and aiding functional rehabilitation.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Outcomes of musculoskeletal surgeries in adult patients with cerebral palsy
The above paper concludes that the goal of upper and lower extremity musculoskeletal surgery should be an improvement in patients' functional ability.
Surgery is performed in order to improve functional ability by correcting or improving the underlying anatomical musculskeletal problem. This will facilitate physiological movement and allow for the development of a normal movement pattern.
In upper or lower extremity/ limb rehabilitation following for example arm and leg surgery, Physical and Occupational therapy must be designed to ensure that as near a normal movement pattern will be achieved. In order to do this the PT/ OT has to customize the exercise task to the patients' movement impairment. HandTutor provides sensory motor impairment oriented training by giving the patient games that require isolated, co-ordinated and accurate finger and wrist movements. At the same time the HandTutor dedicated rehabilitation computer games motivate and improve concentration and allow for intensive practice. Optimal functional outcome is achieved by combining HandTutor with traditional task specific training. The LegTutor by MediTouch provides objective knee and ankle kinematic evaluations and customized active practice with augmented feedback/ biofeedback using the same customizable rehabilitation software as the HandTutor.
Surgery is performed in order to improve functional ability by correcting or improving the underlying anatomical musculskeletal problem. This will facilitate physiological movement and allow for the development of a normal movement pattern.
In upper or lower extremity/ limb rehabilitation following for example arm and leg surgery, Physical and Occupational therapy must be designed to ensure that as near a normal movement pattern will be achieved. In order to do this the PT/ OT has to customize the exercise task to the patients' movement impairment. HandTutor provides sensory motor impairment oriented training by giving the patient games that require isolated, co-ordinated and accurate finger and wrist movements. At the same time the HandTutor dedicated rehabilitation computer games motivate and improve concentration and allow for intensive practice. Optimal functional outcome is achieved by combining HandTutor with traditional task specific training. The LegTutor by MediTouch provides objective knee and ankle kinematic evaluations and customized active practice with augmented feedback/ biofeedback using the same customizable rehabilitation software as the HandTutor.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Optimising home rehabilitation functional outcome
Falling Through the Cracks: A Literature Review to Understand the Reality of Mild Stroke Survivors
http://thomasland.metapress.com/content/j15g01377802u232/
The link discusses how mild stroke survivors may present impairments that do not interfere with basic activities of daily living but do affect performance of complex tasks. Home interventions were found to help patients maximize their functions and improve rehabilitation outcome. However the majority of mild stroke survivors are sent home without referral to rehabilitation services although they present functional deficits.
Home rehabilitation will give better outcome if the dedicated supervised therapy sessions are as regular and intensive as in an in patient environment. However early release may be based on a logistical and financial decision rather a health decision.
The article points out however that the majority of mild stroke survivors are sent home without referral to rehabilitation services and their handicap/ disability, if not addressed, can lead to immobility demotivation, depression and the lack of ability to do active daily living tasks (ADL). This will prevent their reintegration into the community.
In order to enhance functional recovery it is fundamental that a customized home based rehabilitation program ensures that traditional task and exerise based rehabilitation is undertaken intensively and regularly.
The MediTouch HandTutor is a rehabilitation glove and software which offers impairment orientated training (IOT) and augmented feedback. The HandTutor provides repetitive customized isolated or inter joint co-ordinated finger and wrist hand exercises and rehabilitates fine movements of the hand and wrist. At the same time the dedicated rehabilitation software motivates the patient to continue intensive repetitive exercises by providing challenging games that have been designed around both neurological and Orthopedic conditions.
Research with the HandTutor confirms that task oriented training should be combined with Impairment oriented (IOT) training to achieve enhanced functional recovery. The HandTutor is used in hospitals and community hand therapy clinics and home care to give an intensive active isolated exercise program. In home care the HandTutor can be supported by out patient therapy sessions or PT/ OT home visits or by tele rehabilitation therapy.
Examples of patients that are treated include Stroke, TBI, spinal cord injury CP, Orthopedic hand and arm surgery, development co-ordination disorders in children etc.
http://thomasland.metapress.com/content/j15g01377802u232/
The link discusses how mild stroke survivors may present impairments that do not interfere with basic activities of daily living but do affect performance of complex tasks. Home interventions were found to help patients maximize their functions and improve rehabilitation outcome. However the majority of mild stroke survivors are sent home without referral to rehabilitation services although they present functional deficits.
Home rehabilitation will give better outcome if the dedicated supervised therapy sessions are as regular and intensive as in an in patient environment. However early release may be based on a logistical and financial decision rather a health decision.
The article points out however that the majority of mild stroke survivors are sent home without referral to rehabilitation services and their handicap/ disability, if not addressed, can lead to immobility demotivation, depression and the lack of ability to do active daily living tasks (ADL). This will prevent their reintegration into the community.
In order to enhance functional recovery it is fundamental that a customized home based rehabilitation program ensures that traditional task and exerise based rehabilitation is undertaken intensively and regularly.
The MediTouch HandTutor is a rehabilitation glove and software which offers impairment orientated training (IOT) and augmented feedback. The HandTutor provides repetitive customized isolated or inter joint co-ordinated finger and wrist hand exercises and rehabilitates fine movements of the hand and wrist. At the same time the dedicated rehabilitation software motivates the patient to continue intensive repetitive exercises by providing challenging games that have been designed around both neurological and Orthopedic conditions.
Research with the HandTutor confirms that task oriented training should be combined with Impairment oriented (IOT) training to achieve enhanced functional recovery. The HandTutor is used in hospitals and community hand therapy clinics and home care to give an intensive active isolated exercise program. In home care the HandTutor can be supported by out patient therapy sessions or PT/ OT home visits or by tele rehabilitation therapy.
Examples of patients that are treated include Stroke, TBI, spinal cord injury CP, Orthopedic hand and arm surgery, development co-ordination disorders in children etc.
Comparing HandTutor dedicated rehabilitation to the Wii general exercise system
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2010-02-22-yourhealth22_ST_N.htm
The article from the USA today details so-called "Wiiitis" described as sore wrists and shoulders from overuse of the Nintendo Wii game's motion-sensitive remote even in healthy exercising individuals. These soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis are probably caused by overuse of gross motor movement and general exercise.
This can be compared to the MediTouch HandTutor dedicated rehabilitation software. the HandTutor works on the concept of repetitive fine motor, finger and wrist, isolated and combined exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the therapist to customize the games to the patients. All aspects of the exercise task can be customized such as difficulty and time to play for the game. This prevents overuse injuries however at the same time the physiotherapy and occupational therapy designed games are motivating and challenging for the patient.
The article from the USA today details so-called "Wiiitis" described as sore wrists and shoulders from overuse of the Nintendo Wii game's motion-sensitive remote even in healthy exercising individuals. These soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis are probably caused by overuse of gross motor movement and general exercise.
This can be compared to the MediTouch HandTutor dedicated rehabilitation software. the HandTutor works on the concept of repetitive fine motor, finger and wrist, isolated and combined exercises. The dedicated rehabilitation software allows the therapist to customize the games to the patients. All aspects of the exercise task can be customized such as difficulty and time to play for the game. This prevents overuse injuries however at the same time the physiotherapy and occupational therapy designed games are motivating and challenging for the patient.
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