Neuroplasticity

Buildathon volunteers assemble devices for Calgarians with disabilities

For many Canadians with disabilities, it’s the little things that make day-to-day living a bit harder. Federal Disabilities Minister Kent Hehr gets a demonstration of the LipSync, a device that allows users to control computers … READ MORE

A country for all children to thrive

As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our commitment to inclusion and diversity. Yet, when it comes to disabilities, this pride doesn’t match reality. Put simply – rather than inclusion, the every day experience of many … READ MORE

Auckland vibration therapy trial offers hope to sufferers

A vibration-based therapy trial in Auckland could help young people with cerebral palsy. Aucklander Luke Torrens Kelly, 14, was one of 40 people with cerebral palsy, aged 11 to 20, in a new trial that showed vibration therapy … READ MORE

Student with cerebral palsy uses iPad to communicate

There’s an app for just about everything now. From social media to games, it’s changed the way we communicate. And that couldn’t be truer for this week’s Kylies Kid. Joe has many friends at his middle school, a busy social … READ MORE

Living in a greener neighbourhood could lower your risk of death

Not just parks but also streetside trees and lawns could have health benefits, study suggests. In Japan, they call it shinrin-yoku – literally, “forest bathing.” Here, we might just call it a walk in the park. Either … READ MORE

Wheelchair dance company asks, Where’s the disability?

At the Disability Rights Legal Center fundraiser gala this past weekend in Los Angeles, Apple was presented with DRLC’s Business and Technology Award for their accessibility work, and Infinite Flow – A Wheelchair Dance … READ MORE

Alberta athlete shooting for podium at 2018 Winter Paralympics

‘He’s a good athlete, very focused, very determined,’ and he’s a contender. Derek Zaplotinsky is competing in paralympic cross-country skiing and biathlon. John Robertson CBC News By Adrienne Lamb, John … READ MORE

A safe space for kids with special needs: Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics

Finding fun outside of the home can be difficult for children with special needs and their families. Thankfully, Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics gives kids with special needs and disabilities the perfect place to learn and play. The … READ MORE

Engaging older adults through touch tablets

Switched-on seniors. Involving end–users in the design of new technology has worked wonders for older Australians. Swinburne researchers developed an iPad-based, picture-frame system that allows older people to receive photographs … READ MORE

Your stiff back may not actually be stiff, U Alberta study finds

Feeling of stiffness may mean something else is going on in the back. With lower back pain being the leading cause of disability worldwide affecting approximately 632 million people, it is important to examine mechanisms associated … READ MORE

UMBC robotics student invents help for those with disabilities like hers

Kavita Krishnaswamy is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) working with Dr. Tim Oates. She is both a Ford Foundation Predoctoral and National Science Foundation Graduate Research … READ MORE

Neurodevelopmental physical therapy improves spasticity in children with CP

A physical therapy approach known as neurodevelopmental treatment can improve shaking but not movement in children with cerebral palsy, according to a South Korean study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. Neurodevelopmental … READ MORE

AFOs and balance issues in peripheral neuropathy

At a symposium in Cape Town, South Africa, an orthotist demonstrated his technique for treating balance issues in patients with peripheral neuropathy using ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), and a team of researchers theorized about … READ MORE

Can AFOs help prevent falls?

Studies suggest that ankle foot orthoses can improve balance in some individuals, so it might seem logical that they would also help prevent falls. But the medical literature has yet to reveal a direct connection between AFOs and … READ MORE

Virtual reality project can boost confidence of new wheelchair users

A group of designers has made a virtual reality system that lets people push a real wheelchair through a virtual world. Fjord, a design and innovation consulting company, began the system as an “empathy project” with the intent of … READ MORE

Young patients with cerebral palsy, other disabilities, benefit from therapeutic horseback riding

About 20 young Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) patients with cerebral palsy or other physical challenges had the opportunity to go horseback riding recently, an accomplishment many “didn’t realize they could achieve,” as one … READ MORE

Reminiscing and hoping for a successful school year

As I say every year, I cannot believe how fast summer goes by, and I’m a mom of two. Back-to-school time always has me reflect on my own school days. Having cerebral palsy and going through the school system is quite an experience. … READ MORE

Understanding hypotonia

Diagnostic challenges should not delay clinical intervention. Hypotonia, or abnormally low muscle tone, is by itself not a disorder but a symptom of an enormous array of issues—many of which can be difficult to diagnose accurately. … READ MORE

7-year-old’s mystery illness baffles specialists

Gracie Lee Straus loves taking photographs of people and turning them into jigsaw puzzles on her iPad — from her friends and teachers to her doctors, nurses and therapists. She loves puzzles, even the old-fashioned, hands-on ones. … READ MORE

How magic tricks help children with cerebral palsy

For children with hemiplegia, a common form of cerebral palsy, learning to be a magician is remarkably effective therapy — as attendees at the Breathe Magic summer camp find out. A child at Breathe Magic. Photographs: Graeme … READ MORE

Effectiveness of passive stretching in children with cerebral palsy

Neurological disorders often cause increased muscle tone — too much tightness — in muscles of the arms and legs. Spasticity results from significantly increased muscle tone, limiting movement and joint mobility. Cerebral palsy — … READ MORE

Range of therapies help patients living with physical challenges after a stroke

It was Father’s Day, back in June 1998, when the life of David Andrews was abruptly turned upside down. The Vancouver engineer had just returned home after a long walk with his wife Merylin. He was chasing his dog, who was poking … READ MORE

Efforts to optimize outcomes focus on AFO stiffness, alignment

Given the heterogeneity of many patient populations for whom ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are indicated, it’s not surprising that AFO experts are at the forefront of the current trend favoring customization of devices to meet … READ MORE

Quantifying functional effects of AFO alignment

Assessing device alignment is a key aspect of prosthetic practice, but when it comes to lower extremity orthotics the process is less common. That’s changing, however, as researchers begin to document the effects of alignment on … READ MORE

Stepping up: Orthotic devices help boost physical activity levels

Improved mobility with ankle foot orthoses and other devices can help patients experience the multiple health benefits of increased physical activity. But aggressive activity goals— including the oft-cited target of 10,000 steps per … READ MORE

How accessible tech helps people living with disabilities

Apple “Designed for Everyone” campaign marks Global Accessibility Awareness Day. According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people in the world are living with some sort of disability. That’s one in seven of … READ MORE

Does smart clothing have a future?

This fall it will be possible to answer a call just by making a simple gesture on your jacket. You will be able to receive GPS directions, skip a song or turn up the music volume without having your mobile phone in your palm. The … READ MORE

Everything you need to know about horse therapy

More and more Canadians are horsing around with their healthcare. Horse therapy, also known as equestrian or equine-assisted therapy, is a versatile treatment program that has patients galloping to ranches and stables to recover from … READ MORE

Hands-free, wireless control for people with limited mobility

Komodo OpenLab, a company based in Toronto, Canada, released a new device that lets severely paralyzed people operate Android and iOS tablets and smartphones, as well as other devices, using standard accessibility tools such as sip … READ MORE

Glassouse turns your head into a mouse

The Glassouse basically turns your head into a mouse or trackpad. If you can’t use your arms, this means you can finally navigate a computer screen, tablet or cell phone easily, on your own. Glassouse tracks head movements to … READ MORE

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