Motomed – movement therapy for stroke rehab one version of the motomed, available at www.motomed.com Motomed Therapy systems are produced by a company in germany called Reck.  They have various models of the Motomed, some which seem to operate much like a stationary bicycle, and others that combine arm cycling and even functional electrical stimulation.  […]

Mirror Therapy in Stroke Recovery (Let me start by admitting this is a stretch to include in the Rehab Technology section….but I also included it in the alternative treatment section, if that makes you feel any better.) This treatment is really a from of mental practice, but with the addition of visual “trickery,” so to speak.  […]

Used Mobility Equipment www.usedhme.com If you are looking to buy or sell used mobility equipment, check out www.usedhme.com They have an easily searchable database of all types of used mobility equipment, from wheelchairs to hospital beds to raised toilet seats to wheelchair lifts for a van to………just look at their website.   AND if you’ve got […]

Decreasing Spasticity After a Stroke Since spasticity is a protective mechanism initiated by the spinal cord, in response to a lack of brain signals to that muscle (see my article “What is Spasticity?” for more info), the only true way to decrease spasticity is to INCREASE the brain’s control of that muscle.  This is done […]

If you’ve had a stroke, you have a 70% chance of falling! Statistics show that 70% of stroke survivors have a fall within the first 6 months after their stroke.  And a stroke survivor is 4 x as likely to fracture a hip in a fall than a person of the same age who hasn’t […]

Fatigue Some stroke survivors label fatigue as their greatest obstacle to recovery.  It can often limit one’s ability to participate in rehab activities, and promote inactivity and subsequent “learned non-use” of the involved arm or leg.  The causes of fatigue after a stroke can be many, and research is ongoing to discover and counteract the […]

Shoulder Pain After a Stroke Possible causes: shoulder subluxation adhesive capsulitis impingement syndrome rotator cuff injury complex regional pain syndrome irritation of the brachial plexus (the nerves that run from the neck, through the shoulder area, into the arm) bursitis any combination of the above Shoulder Subluxation –  the joint is partly dislocated, or in […]

Deconditioning after a Stroke – Tips on Prevention Due to a significant decrease in overall activity level following a stroke, many people experience profound deconditioning.  Especially those with significant physical limitations that require them to sit in a wheelchair for most of the day. This deconditioning includes: decreased cardiovascular efficiency (every activity seems to make […]

Brunnstrom’s Stages of Stroke Recovery In the 1960s, a physical therapist named Brunnstrom described the typical recovery of motor function following a stroke.  Those 7 stages of recovery (or 6, depending on who you ask) are still fairly well supported by research.  The length of time that each stage lasts can vary significantly, depending on […]

Decreasing Spasticity After a Stroke Since spasticity is a protective mechanism initiated by the spinal cord, in response to a lack of brain signals to that muscle (see my article “What is Spasticity?” for more info), the only true way to decrease spasticity is to INCREASE the brain’s control of that muscle.  This is done […]