New Therapy For Brain And Spinal Injury
BIRF Info
New Therapy For Brain And Spinal Injury
For years the prognosis for spinal cord and brain injury patients has been grim—don’t expect much recovery after about a year. A new outpatient rehabilitation clinic founded by two doctors with serious spinal cord injuries, and a progressive physical therapist named Jan Black, is changing that. NeuroWorx Physical Therapy near Salt Lake City, Utah, combines new technologies, innovative therapies, and the most current thinking about the spinal cord’s ability to be retrained after injury, to bring real hope and results to some paralyzed patients.
The HydroWorx underwater treadmill is Black’s chief tool in her campaign against paralysis. The clinic’s name—NeuroWorx—is a nod to that Central Pennsylvania-based pool manufacturer. The successes go beyond what modern medicine for years thought possible.
-Co-founder Dr. Dale Hull, who broke his neck in 1999 and was told he would never walk again, carried the Olympic torch in the 2002 winter games.
-Collette R., 20, suffered a brain injury in a car accident nearly six years ago and was told she would never walk or run again. Now she moves on the HydroWorx at speeds of up to 4.2 miles per hour – a slow jog – and endeavors to run again on dry land.
-David F., 26, can now walk at a slow, steady rate on the HydroWorx, and is able to use a walker on dry land. None of this was possible, doctors said, after a ton of hay fell on his head and broke his neck.
Former emergency room doctor and NeuroWorx co-founder was injured in a 2002 sledding accident and told he would never walk again. With a walker, he can now walk up to 50 feet on dry land and works daily to improve that distance.
Black’s methods have attracted national attention. The clinic’s patient roster is growing and new patient inquiries have come in from as far away recently as Philadelphia.
Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Neurological Patients:
* Promotes functional mobility
* Improves balance and proprioception
* Promotes lumbar stabilization
* Improves gait training
* Helps to regain trunk balance, range of motion, strength and endurance
* Promotes ambulation, sitting and standing balance
* Encourages safety and confidence
More On HydroWorx Pools:
Due to the nature of many neurological conditions, accessibility to a pool can be complicated. Ladders are not useful and even steps can be an obstacle for severe patients. The moveable floor of the HydroWorx 2000 brings the pool floor to the pool room floor so patients can walk or be wheeled on in their wheelchair. They can be safely submersed into the water at the desired depth in only 30 seconds.
The properties of water combined with our lift system eliminate the need for multiple therapists to support a patient in the water. At about 60% weightless, therapists can focus on reteaching lost motor skills. The variable speeds treadmill facilitates gait training at any water level with speeds from 0 to 8.5 mph in .2 mph increments.
One of the difficulties in learning how to walk again comes from having to watch your legs and the movements associated with walking. With Hydrowrox underwater cameras it is easy to watch and adjust movements in real time and this speed the learning process. A leading neurological physical therapist has developed a unique gait training method using this technology.
Note: The information provided here is offered as a service only. The Brain Injury Resource Foundation does not formally recommend or endorse the equipment listed. As with any product or service, consumers should investigate and determine on their own what equipment best fits their needs and budget. To learn more about Hydroworx, visit their website.
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