RehabCare

Stroke Rehab and a Phone App?!?

 
Check out this article I just found about a phone app that has been developed to help stroke patients that struggle with aphasia. Aphasia, a language difficulty that can vary from difficulty finding the correct words to not being able to understand or speak, is usually associated with stroke patients. The article likens the phone app to a pedometer. In just the same way that a pedometer tracks the number of steps you take in a day, the mobile phone application will record the number of words a patient says in a day. After four weeks with the application the patient is then evaluated and given appropriate speech therapy. Although the application is still in clinical trials, it is evidence that mobile phones and technology are going to continue to impact the way we do therapy!

Why did you choose RehabCare?

Over the course of the next few weeks we will be featuring short clips of our Alumni Ambassadors telling you a little bit about why they chose RehabCare. They are all great stories! This one from Ryan Edwards, Occupational Therapist in Park Rapids, MN and alumnus of the University of North Dakota is one of my personal favorites. Take a look at Ryan's video as he talks about one of his favorite patients!

We're in San Diego!

 
We're here in Sunny San Diego at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting. We've met students from Chapman University, U of St. Augustine, Rockhurst University and even Richard Stockton in NJ..….met up with some of our faculty friends from UT - San Antonio, Maryville, St. Louis U, TWU, Western KY University (they're recruiting a couple faculty positions to start up a new DPT program!!  Pretty awesome!  UT-San Antonio is also recruiting faculty as well as Maryville U in St. Louis.(maybe we can help out some of our academic friends, as well). 

 

T-Shirts are a big hit, (get em while they last)  everyone loves the CSM Logo and all want to win the mini laptop.  Stop by to see us, we're right by the posters, next to the Nordic Walkers in booth 525. 

 

Just back from a zesty walk by the marina.  Awesome…..there are people out doing yoga, strength and conditioning training, running, jogging and just strolling with their dogs…..it's a beautiful morning in San Diego!

 

Coffee, shower then off to the Exhibit Hall!

APTA CSM this week!!

Chatapalooza 2.0--It's Here!

You've seen our Chatapalooza events, but we are taking them to the next level-Chatapalooza 2.0! What does that mean? We're kicking up our online chat events to include a full webinar with a guest speaker! Over the next six months we will be hosting a series of webinars geared toward students like you! Our first topic-Clinical Affiliations! The RehabCare Campus Relations Crew will be discussing Clinical Affiliations--what to expect, how to prepare, etc. With a question and answer session at the end of the webinar you can get all of your questions answered! Whether you are currently completing your Clinical Affilation, or just starting to set up your clinical rotation, this is the chat for you! Also, stay tuned at the end to learn how to enter to win an Ipod nano with video! We're really excited about this event, but you'll need to register. Click on the link to the right that says Chatapalooza 2.0 to be directed to the registration. Space is limited so hurry, it's this Thursday at 7pm! See the flyer below for more information.

RehabCare Technology Video

Check out RehabCare's latest video exploring all the ways we are using technology to make sure our therapists stay on the cutting edge of their profession!

The Wii Isn't Just Your Normal Video Game System

Needless to say, the Nintendo Wii System has been the craze amongst not only children but adults for the last couple years.This system simulates the activity therefore requiring the player to perform coordinated dynamic movements. Not only is this a great way to enjoy interactive games with friends, or do a work out but it may also improve your balance! A recent Case Report in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy suggests just that. The Wii Bowling game was used as the sole treatment for a 89 year old female patient with an unspecified balance disorder and a history of multiple falls. The patient participated in 6 bowling sessions for 60 minutes each over a 2 week period. The outcomes proved to be positive. The patient's clinical measures included the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, Timed Up and Go Test and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale; improvements were noted in all measurements.  Although this was a case report involving only one patient and a single examining physical therapist, it is great start in determining the effects of using the Wii in physical therapy treatments. Next time you are looking for an new and fun treatment approach to improve balance, take a look at the Wii!

Proving the Physcial Therapy Profession

As a physical therapist I am often asked by my patients, "Why are you doing this exercise?", "How is this going to help my injury?" Based upon my schooling, experience, and current research I am able to confidently respond to my patient's inquiries. But is there enough evidence out there to be 100% sure your treatment approach is the best for each individual patient and will show successful outcomes? Within the past decade, the physical therapy profession has put more emphasis on evidence-based practice, not to discredit the theories we all once learned and still use in our everyday practice. The community and physician practices seem to be in agreement with this movement.  Recently in a New York Times article titled Treat Me, but No Tricks Please , the author discusses PT treatment for a sport's-related injury and states:

When I asked Dr. Irrgang for studies showing what worked, I was a bit surprised. To put it kindly, they left much to be desired.

Researchers would mix treatments — stretching and massage and orthotic shoe inserts, for example. If patients said they felt better, it was impossible to know why. Some of the studies involved as few as four participants. And the researchers did not always assign subjects randomly to one treatment or another to see which one worked better.

While we hope that our clinical reasoning leads to proper treatment choices and execution resulting positive outcomes, let's take it a step further and follow the steps to prove our choices through concrete evidence. The Allied Health Research Instutute is a great organization that  is dedicated to assist the profession in just that. One of the  principle objectives is to  "create a central data repository to collect and analyze clinical outcomes for the purpose of establishing industry and academic-supported, evidence-based practice patterns." As therapists, let's dedicate ourselves to showing through theory, experience and EVIDENCE the importance of Physical Therapy.

Haitian Earthquake has Ties Close to Home

It's not often that people give any mind to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, but in recent days all eyes have been on the island nation of Haiti. Struck by a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake the nations capitol, Port-Au-Prince, and surrounding areas now sit in ruin. Our friend and fellow therapist Dr. Chuck Gulas, Dean of the School of Health Professions at Maryville University is currently in Haiti on sabbatical doing a service project with Haitian physical therapy tech students. While Dr. Gulas is okay he indicates that, as we've all heard and seen on the news, the situation is indeed very grave. The hospsital at which he is working, Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschappelles, Haiti is overwhelmed with paitients pouring in from PauP, but each patient is being treated and more are constantly arriving.

While each of us sits in front of our TVs, blackberries, or iphones and watches the news headlines wreaking of devastation you are probably asking how you can help in the midst of such widespread devastation? There are so many opportunities to give to the relief effort through organizations like the American Red Cross, UNICEF, or World Vision. Please understand that each of these are very noble causes and will do MUCH good for the people of Haiti, but we also ask that you consider giving to the Haitian Relief Fund at HAS where Dr. Gulas is currently treating. Their need for supplies and medicine is great and funds are short. If you'd like to donate please click here to visit the Friends of HAS website and give your secure donation. Please know that 100% of your donation will go to aid those individuals that are being treated by the Hopital Albert Schweitzer in response to the disaster in PauP.

3 Tips You May Not Know About Injury Prevention

Please welcome our guest blogger RehabCare Alumni Ambassador, Physical Therapist and professional triathlete, Aaron Scheidies.

Injury prevention is key in order to keep consistent with an exercise or training program.  Some strategies to injury prevention such as stretching, proper warm up, hydrating and correct mechanics are well known to be important to avoid injury.  The 3 injury prevention tips below are not mind blowing new concepts but they are not always considered when in an exercise program.  I hope these can help you and your clients/patients to prevent their next injury before it occurs.

 

1.        The Optimal Window for Recovery:

It is well known that whenever we exercise we are breaking down our muscles with the belief they will build themselves back stronger.   This process can be expedited by utilizing the “optimal window for recovery”.  This window is a 30-45 minute gap after exercise in which our bodies absorb and utilize nutrients more effectively.  Protein is absorbed to jumpstart the process of patching up the micro-damaged muscles.  Carbohydrates are used to replenish the glycogen stores that were depleted.  If this optimal window is not taken advantage of post exercise we leave ourselves at risk for breaking down our muscles without full recovery at the next session.  Thus starting a steady decline in strength and vulnerable for injury.  Foods that have a high ratio of protein and carbohydrates such as turkey/cheese sandwich, yogurt, oatmeal with nuts, PB&J sandwich, recovery shakes, bars etc are best

2.        Varying Up Your Workouts:

The majority of injuries especially in endurance athletes are considered overuse injuries because they result from repetitive movement in the same pattern of r motion and forces directed in the same direction to the body.  These injuries can partially be avoided by varying up workouts.  This can mean many things.  Here are 3 ways to vary up your workouts.

a.        Avoid consecutive days of stressing the Same Muscle Groups: Strength train lower body one day and lower body another day.  If you run one day than strength train the upper body or swim the following session.

b.      Couple High Intensity Workouts with Lower Intensity Sessions:  High intensity training breaks down the body very rapidly.  By doing two days in a row of high intensity training our body doesn’t have enough time to recover and it continues to be broken down.  Instead, couple interval or heavy weight days with highly aerobic light intensity days.  In the endurance world we call these workouts “recovery workouts”.

c.       Change the Terrain:  Different terrains provide differing impact forces through the joints.  Running on dirt trails, ash fault vs. cement and on treadmills decrease the forces put through our joints.  Water activities such as swimming are very low impact and are great options when your body is feeling run down but you still want to exercise. 

 

Here is an example of a training week of a good variety of workout types and intensities to help prevent build up of stresses on single joints and promote full body conditioning.

Training Table for Injury Prevention (Insert Here)

 

 

3.        Strength Training to Reduce Stress on Bones:

Our muscles are the primary stabilizers of our joints and also take a great deal of the stress off the bones when they are strong.  When we exercise we also break down our bones and this is needed to a point but without adequate muscle strength to reduce the loads going through our bones we put ourselves at risk for stress fractures and joint deterioration.  This is why it is important to incorporate strength training into all exercise programs.  In endurance athletes, strength training in the off season to build a foundation of strength is essential.  For those of you that are trying to lose weight and believe strength training slow this down, think again.  Strength training increases our basal metabolic rate so we burn more calories at rest and builds lean muscle which takes up much less space as fat. 

 

			SAMPLE TRAINING WEEK FOR INJURY PREVENTION   Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri  Sat AEROBIC   40min Jog Low Intensity Paved surface 1hr Swim Vary kicking, pulling and stroke 45min Run: Speed Intervals on Treadmill/Track 45min Stationary Bike Mod intensity;steady pace   45min Run on soft Trails STRENGTH    30min Upper Body Strength Ex   20min Core Strength ex 15min Core Strength Ex 45min Lower Body Strength Ex