The National Institute of Neurological  Disorders and Stroke have given new light to the fact that patients who participate in intense physical therapy at home show the same amount of improvement compared to using expensive high tech body weight supported treadmill devices.

These researchers also demonstrate that these patients continue to improve walking ability up to a year following the initial stroke. This is yet another pat on the back for those of us in PT who work so hard with patients during the recovery. Neuroplasticity is a very slow and sometimes agonizing process for the therapist and patient. Read the full story

Recently I have just finished reading a book entitled Body By Science which was written by Doug McGuff M.D. and John Little. All of the chapters within the book are backed by research and the research articles are listed at the end of the chapters.

This was a very interesting read for anyone interested in the fitness realm. We have all been taught the basic strategy of weight training a body part every other day and mix in some cross fitness cardio somewhere in between. Well these guys take the latest research and really put some theories to the test. Lets dive in and take a closer look to see what kind of gold nuggets we can dig up. Read the full story

I have been sitting here going through my review for the NPTE. I know that many of us would rather live in the world of muscle and bones, however without the neurological anatomy providing the hard wiring for all those muscle and bones we wouldn’t function at all.

This is why I have decided to include a little neurological anatomy review to refresh those of us who tend to dwell in the realm of Orthopedics.

I heard that groan !…. Trust me its not as bad as it sounds. Read the full story

The Spotlight section of our website is designed to collect a grouping of articles and posts that deal with a specific pathological condition or an area of focus in the field of Physical Therapy. Read the full story

This is the third installment of a three part series dealing with the 3 phases of healing during soft tissue lesions. The first installment focused on guidelines for the acute phase of healing followed by a second installment focusing on the guidelines for the subacute stage of healing.

The Chronic stage of healing is the last step toward a completely healed scar over the area of the lesion and it is the stage where the scar begins to add tensile strength.

The Chronic Stage (maturation and remodeling) demonstrates no signs of an inflammatory response. Contractures may be present as well as possible areas of adhesion left over as a residual effect from the acute response. Muscle weakness may continue to exist in this stage which can limit function

Since the tissue is beginning to remodel it needs the appropriate stimulus to ensure it aligns properly with the line of force. Realignment and stimulus along with strengthening is the basis for the interventions during this phase of healing. Read the full story

How many times has this scenario been repeated in out patient clinics. A patient comes in with the goal to improve the ability to go from sitting to standing. Immediately the therapist begins to use open chain exercises such as short or long arc quad sets to strengthen the knee. The entire session proceeds and the act of going from sitting to standing is never performed.

This is just one example among many that takes place in clinics each and every day. I agree that sometimes muscle setting exercises are important to maintain the osteokinematics of the joint however it should not be the primary focus of treatment. PT’s need focus on functional goals and use those as a basis for strengthening. Read the full story

The three-year randomized control trial by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs enrolled 127 veterans at four VA sites. All had suffered a stroke at least six months earlier and had moderate to severe impairment of an arm. On average, the strokes had occurred nearly five years before; one-third of the victims had suffered multiple strokes. Patients typically get rehabilitation therapy only during the first six months or so after a stroke. Conventional thinking has been that long-term stroke survivors cannot accrue additional meaningful benefits after that time. Recent studies, though, have begun to suggest otherwise.

The therapy involved repetitive, guided movement, three times a week, for three months. One group of patients underwent upper-limb therapy with the use of robots designed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Others did similar high-intensity exercises with a therapist. At each session, the patients performed 1,024 upper-arm movements, a substantially more intense workout than in a conventional rehabilitation session. A third, smaller group had only “usual care” – they received general health care but no specific therapy for their stroke-damaged upper limb. ~ Medical News Today

Full Article  [source]

High intensity therapy seems to be a growing trend that is showing promise for patients that have had a stroke. There are many versions of high intensity therapy including the idea of restraining the uninvolved limb then asking the patient to use the involved limb for functional activities.

Read the full story