Does Constraint Induced Movement Therapy Improve Arm Recovery?
Hemiplegia (weakness on one side of the body) can be a huge cause of disability following a stroke. This can make activities such as grasping, reaching, and manipulating objects difficult, if not impossible. Constraint Induced Movement Therapy has been well...
What is a muscle synergy?
In the world of neurologic movement disorders, we talk a lot about "abnormal synergy patterns". And they kind of "get a bad rap" in how they can inhibit motor (movement) recovery. But functional muscle synergies are not necessarily a bad thing. Here we are going to...
Getting up after a fall
Falling can be a scary thing. Getting up from the floor after a fall is the number one most important skill to learn. Safety Warning: Check in with your body before moving It is important to note, you should only attempt to get up if you are not injured for...
Product Spotlight: Stroke Arm Exercise for Spasticity
Spasticity and abnormal movement patterns can make it difficult to perform stroke arm exercise. The Urias air splint can be an invaluable tool to minimize involuntary arm contractions, reduce pain, prevent contractures, and make it one thousand times easier to manage...
Product Spotlight: #1 Walker for Parkinson’s Disease
What is the best walker for Parkinson's disease (PD)? Maybe you are not there yet. Maybe you are hesitant to even approach the idea of a walker. Well, I have you covered. After nearly 20 years of working with people living with PD, I know how you might be feeling. The...
When to start Parkinson’s disease medication?
Due to the neurodegenerative nature of Parkinson's disease, there is no cure. While many medications claim to "treat" the disease, none actually reverse the effects of the disease. Parkinson's Disease Medication The main family of drugs useful for treating the motor...
Best Method for Stretching Spastic Muscles
Stretching spastic muscles is critical after a stroke. Spasticity is a movement disorder that causes an involuntary muscle contraction in response to lengthening. This occurs if there has been damage to the brain or spinal cord. This can make movement retraining and...
What is spasticity?
Spasticity is an involuntary muscle contraction caused by a hyperexcitability of the reflex arc that occurs due to damage to the brain or the spinal cord. Huh?? Yeah, agreed. Ok, I get it, keep it simple. Did you ever wonder why your leg seems to spaz out for no...
Does Mirror Therapy Improve Arm Function?
Mirror therapy (MT) is one of several effective treatments used to regain arm movement after a stroke. Mirror Therapy Background MT was originally designed to treat phantom limb pain with amputees. The way it worked was that it gave the person the sensation that they...
Mental Practice Helps Movement Recovery after a Stroke
Mental practice is a way of relearning movement (motor functions) by creating an image in your mind of the body performing that movement without the body actually moving. This method of enhancing performance and/or improving a motor skill has been used for decades in...