Neuromotor

Getting the equipment you need and learning to self-advocate

It all started when I was in rehab dealing with a particularly insensitive sales rep from a major mobility company who seemed far more concerned with an upcoming Hawaiian vacation than properly outfitting me with my first wheelchair. … READ MORE

Edmonton researchers help young stroke patients regain mobility

One in every 1,000 babies suffer from a stroke either in utero or shortly after birth. Edmonton researchers are trying to help those young child stroke patients regain mobility and learn how to walk. Linda Hoang with files from Carmen … READ MORE

Uneven terrain: Tactics for orthotic device users

Helping patients manage an orthotic device can be challenging, but doing so in the face of uneven terrain is a balancing act between stability, mobility, and strength. Device adjustments and rehabilitation protocols can help … READ MORE

Issues for parents caring 24/7 for children with complex care needs

A new research report has been published by the charity WellChild which explores parents’ experiences of managing care for children with complex care needs throughout the 24-hour day. Calgary photojournalist Christina Ryan and her … READ MORE

Early AFO use significantly enhances benefits of stroke rehabilitation

Functional balance test scores rise. Use of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) within six weeks of stroke results in better balance outcomes and earlier independent ambulation than if AFO use is delayed, according to research from the … READ MORE

Who will care for the caregivers?

I should have put his socks back on. The thought kept nagging me as I finished my clinic notes, replaying the afternoon in my head. My final patient of the day — a man with dementia — was a late addition to the schedule, after his … READ MORE

Brain-controlled robot lets physically challenged see the world

For those with severe motor disabilities, mind-controlled prostheses have long offered a sliver of hope that they might one day be able to regain some semblance of autonomy. The Teleport uses a simple off-the-shelf brain control … READ MORE

Swedish adventurer reaches south pole in sit ski

On Dec. 21, 2016, Aron Anderson, a Swedish man, became the first person to reach the South Pole by sit ski. Anderson, a wheelchair user as a result of childhood cancer, completed a 21-day journey that took him some 398 miles from the … READ MORE

One sexy walker!

I love how designer Manuel Hess put it… “a walker doesn’t have to look like a disease itself.” Harsh but SO true! His proposal for a walker, called PROSUS, ditches the stigma and is instead designed with dignity in mind. By … READ MORE

In the Garden of Hope & Ingenuity

Rehab pioneer Dr. Geoff Fernie’s innovative path from making Pink Floyd, Cream and other rock stars look good, to doing good for millions of people with disabilities. Dr. Geoff Fernie explains how FallsLab enables researchers to … READ MORE

Extending your reach

Unlike most cold-climate wheelers, Dave Kott can’t wait until the first snowfall at his Minnesota home. It’s then that he can put to the test his newly improved, homemade snow plow that runs with the use of actuators, similar to … READ MORE

VERA: Virtual physical therapy in the comfort of your own home

VERA is an all-in-one device that utilizes a tele-rehab platform to help patients perform prescribed in-home exercise programs while monitoring their compliance and reporting results back to their physical therapists. The goal is to … READ MORE

Caring for special-needs children at home brings high cost

Study finds that home care is beneficial for the children, but it comes at great cost to family members or guardians. U.S. families provide nearly $36 billion [USD] annually in uncompensated medical care at home to children who have … READ MORE

How a volunteer ‘voice bank’ helps the speech impaired

Ryan. Alex. Siri. These are names of robotic voices that are often programmed on electronic tablets. They also become default identities for people with speech disorders who rely on technology to communicate. John Gregoire of Windham, … READ MORE

A day in the life of four wheelers

Alex Ghenis, Paula Larson, Ian Jaquiss and Ellen Stohl are four very different people with disabilities — with one similarity in common: Each agreed to share a day of their lives, taking us on a tour of what do they do, where they … READ MORE

Why Hire Engineers With Disabilities? They’re Practiced Problem Solvers

Why hire engineers with disabilities? They’re practiced problem solvers. Disabled engineers make great contributors—if they can get past the interview. On the Job: Kurt Driscoll had to go through endless interviews before finally … READ MORE

Stimulator bypasses spine injury, helps patients move hands

Experimental treatment improves grip, finger motion up to 300 percent in quadriplegics. Stimulator Bypasses Spine Injury, Helps Patients Move Hands. An experimental procedure involving an implanted spinal stimulator is showing early … READ MORE

Iris lightweight walking aid is stylish and functional

The Iris walker was designed with as much style as functionality. It’s lightweight, easy to use, easy to fold, and completely practical all while having a slim silhouette, tasteful colors, and a fashionable built-in bag for any … READ MORE

Improving lower extremity orthotics management for children with cerebral palsy

Some cerebral palsy cases caused by genetic anomalies, not just brain injury: study. Antony Kelly Photo 570 News Larissa Pavone MD, Deborah Gaebler-Spira MD, Donald McGovern CPO FAAOP, Steven Makovitch MD, Stefania Fatone PhD, … READ MORE

Liftware levels playing field for disabled diners

The Liftware Level is a motorized utensil that automatically bends itself to counteract involuntary hand movements, to allow people afflicted with disorders like Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease to feed themselves. … READ MORE

Ballet improves balance, social skills in children with cerebral palsy

Classical ballet classes may help improve balance while enhancing social skills in school-aged children with cerebral palsy (CP), according to a new study. Ballet Academy East, New York. Photo Rosalie-O’Connor Joana Fernandes PhD, … READ MORE

Walking uses more than just feet

We humans walk with our feet. This is true, but not entirely. Walking, as part of locomotion, is a coordinated whole-body movement that involves both the arms and legs. Walking is a whole-body movement. Arm and leg movements are … READ MORE

Comparison of a conventional knee-ankle-foot orthosis and a new powered KAFO

Evaluation of gait symmetry in poliomyelitis. A new powered knee–ankle–foot orthosis can improve gait symmetry for poliomyelitis subjects by influencing step width, swing time, stance time percentage, and knee flexion during swing … READ MORE

Connor needs help for new wheels

Connor Groenewoud just started junior high school this fall. And as the only boy in his entire school in a wheelchair, the 12-year old understands other students at times have trouble with the fact that he’s different. Sarah … READ MORE

Ambulatory kids with mild cerebral palsy have adverse musculoskeletal profile

Compared with typically developing children, ambulatory children with mild spastic cerebral palsy (CP) have pronounced deficits in cortical bone architecture, lower bone strength, and elevated infiltration of fat in the bone marrow … READ MORE

Transportation shouldn’t be a barrier to health care

Transportation issues shouldn’t prevent anyone from getting to or from a doctor’s appointment. But they do just that for an estimated 3.6 million Americans. Some of these individuals don’t have cars or access to public … READ MORE

Effects on gait by varying stiffness of ankle foot orthoses for children with cerebral palsy

Gait in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) is often characterized by abnormal gait biomechanics, such as excessive knee flexion during stance. Associated with such gait deviations, an elevated walking energy cost is often observed, … READ MORE

Aging caregivers of children with disabilities pushed to the breaking point

Carlo is in a wheelchair thanks to a condition called myositis. Now that he’s nearing 50 and “almost non-mobile,” he receives home care and lives with his parents who help take care of him. But that’s becoming more difficult: … READ MORE

When the barriers aren’t just physical

Entering the playground, I heard a boy call my son’s name. We turned and saw one of his classmates running toward us. “We’re playing soccer! Wanna be on my team?” Illustration by Giselle Potter By Sandra Joy Stein, The New … READ MORE

New approaches to orthotic management in children with cerebral palsy

Practitioners look to novel ways of using familiar lower limb orthotic alternatives to complement new technology. No single treatment is appropriate for every child, but it is generally agreed that the sooner intervention is started … READ MORE

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