The Effects of the Get Off Your Rocker Exercise Class on Balance for Patients following a CVA: A Case Study Approach

Background and Purpose: Cerebral vascular accident (CV A) is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. It is estimated that approximately 75% of people who have a stroke survive, many of whom live with some level of impairments that impact their activities of daily living and quality of life. One of the results of these impairments can be decreased balance. Limitations in balance may impact an individual\u27s risk of falls, ability to ambulate, and performance of functional activities. Exercises emphasizing balance training playa significant role in improving postural control. The purpose of this study is to determine if the six -week Get Off Your Rocker balance exercise class improves balance and quality of life in people who have had a CV A and who live in the community. If the Get Off Your Rocker exercise class is found to be effective for this population, it can be an additional tool for physical therapists in improving balance. Subjects: The two subjects who participated in the study had a neurological diagnosis of CVA. Both subjects were older than 20 years of age, lived in the community, and ambulated independently. Methods: Four measures were used to gather data regarding balance and quality of life. During the initial testing session, subjects completed the Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach, Berg Balance Measure, and Short Form 36 Health Survey. Subjects then participated in the Get Off Your Rocker balance exercise class three times a week for six consecutive weeks. Following the exercise class, the assessment measures were repeated. Results: Subjects demonstrated both quantitative and qualitative improvements. Both participants showed improvements on all four of the measures. Conclusion: Following participation in the six-week Get Off Your Rocker balance exercise class, we concluded that it was beneficial in improving balance for people following a CVA. This class can be an effective tool for balance training and increasing functional capacities leading to enhanced quality of life

Suggested approach for establishing a rehabilitation engineering information service for the state of California

An ever expanding body of rehabilitation engineering technology is developing in this country, but it rarely reaches the people for whom it is intended. The increasing concern of state and federal departments of rehabilitation for this technology lag was the stimulus for a series of problem-solving workshops held in California during 1977. As a result of the workshops, the recommendation emerged that the California Department of Rehabilitation take the lead in the development of a coordinated delivery system that would eventually serve the entire state and be a model for similar systems across the nation

State of the art review on walking support system for visually impaired people

The technology for terrain detection and walking support system for blind people has rapidly been improved the last couple of decades but to assist visually impaired people may have started long ago. Currently, a variety of portable or wearable navigation system is available in the market to help the blind for navigating their way in his local or remote area. The focused category in this work can be subgroups as electronic travel aids (ETAs), electronic orientation aids (EOAs) and position locator devices (PLDs). However, we will focus mainly on electronic travel aids (ETAs). This paper presents a comparative survey among the various portable or wearable walking support systems as well as informative description (a subcategory of ETAs or early stages of ETAs) with its working principal advantages and disadvantages so that the researchers can easily get the current stage of assisting blind technology along with the requirement for optimising the design of walking support system for its users

Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

Technology Based Community Navigation Solutions for Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury and Executive Functioning Deficits

One Area of function that has been identified as particularly difficult for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) is that of community mobility and transportation. The aim of this project was to create an instructional manual describing a two-day training program to assist caregivers of individuals with ABI and resulting executive dysfunction. Caregivers can implement the training program to aid their care recipients in identifying and using technology devices to aid in community mobility. The first day focuses on assisting individuals with ABI in identifying cognitive strategies and appropriate technology for navigating public transportation. Caregivers and their care recipients also learn facts about public transportation, along with solutions to common barriers, such as route finding and appropriate behavior while on the bus. During the second day, caregivers guide participants in using technology to navigate King County public transit while taking a trip on the bus. After completing the training program, caregivers can be better prepared to teach individuals with ABI how to navigate public transportation with technology and know the next steps for assisting their care recipients to use public transportation. With assistance from caregivers, the participant can learn skills necessary to navigate public transportation with technology, thereby increasing their independence and sense of self-efficacy with community mobility

A Profile of Canadians Over the Age of 65 Years Living with Coexisting Vision and Mobility Impairments: A Sequential Mixed Method Analysis

The purpose of this dissertation was (i) to investigate the prevalence of older Canadian adults living with coexisting vision and mobility impairments, and (ii) to describe how disability associated with both impairments relate to health status, activities of daily living, physical activity participation, assistive technology use, and health care services. These goals were achieved by using mixed methodology approach. The first manuscript was based on secondary analyses of the 2006/2007 National Population Health Survey (NPHS). The results of the secondary analysis of the NPHS revealed that approximately 3% of the Canadian population over the age of 65 was living with coexisting vision and mobility impairments. Also, older adults with both conditions required more assistance with activities of daily living and they reported the lowest levels of physical activity participation compared to those living with one or no impairment. The second part of the core component was based on secondary analyses of the 2006 Participation and Activity Limitations Survey (PALS). The PALS was specifically designed for individuals who reported they were living with a disability. As a result, a greater proportion of respondents indicated the presence of both target conditions – approximately 15% of older Canadians who reported having a disability were living with coexisting vision and mobility impairments. The analysis of the PALS data revealed that older adults with both impairments required more assistance with activities of daily living and they reported a higher use of assistive technology; however, there was a higher level of unmet needs for vision related assistive technology. The final manuscript consisted of in-depth interviews conducted to add the personal perspective of older adults with both impairments, and to expand and clarify the quantitative findings. The analyses of the transcripts revealed four main themes among participants: (i) the meaning behind vision, mobility, and coexisting impairments; (ii) adaptation of desired activities; (iii) external support for engaging in activity; and (iv) internal support for engaging in activity. The results of this dissertation contribute knowledge about living with coexisting vision and mobility impairments and offer a starting point to guide rehabilitation services for clients with multiple impairments

The Effects of Partial Body Weight Support for Gait in Patients with Neurological Dysfunction: A Case Study Approach

Cerebrovascular accident (CV A) is the primary cause of disability in the United States. l It is estimated that 75% of those who have a CVA survive and function with multiple degrees of impairments. These impairments impact their activities of daily living in a variety of ways. One of the goals of rehabilitation is to minimize the negative effects a CVA has on the functioning of an individual and allow each person to reach his or her maximum potential. Limited research has been conducted exploring the positive outcomes of partial body weight support treadmill training (PBWSTT) in those who have experienced a neurological insult. More research is needed to discover the effects partial body weight support has on individuals. If this training is found to be beneficial in a population of clients with a CV A, then there is a possibility that the effects could carry over to other neurological populations. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if partial body weight support system improves the quality of gait, postural control, and speed in adults diagnosed with a CV A over a period of six weeks, attending sessions three times per week. Subjects & Methods: The four subjects who participated in this study all have the neurological diagnosis of CV A. They ranged in age from 50 to 78 years old. Four methods were used to gather initial and final data for the six-week study to illustrate outcomes gained. The methods utilized were the Berg Balance Measure, a template recording of footprints, the gait portion of the Tinetti Assessment Tool, and the lO-Meter Timed Walk. Results: Results of this study were more apparent qualitatively than quantitatively. Each individual demonstrated improvements in one or more categories in the areas of postural control, gait quality, and speed. The most significant improvements were seen in gait speed and symmetry. Conclusion: Following a review of literature, the participation in the six-week study, and analyzing its results, we concluded that PBWSTT is indeed a beneficial rehabilitation tool for the population that has experienced a eVA. The researchers feel that the improvements in our subjects will increase functional capacities leading to a better quality of life

Biomechanics

Biomechanics is a vast discipline within the field of Biomedical Engineering. It explores the underlying mechanics of how biological and physiological systems move. It encompasses important clinical applications to address questions related to medicine using engineering mechanics principles. Biomechanics includes interdisciplinary concepts from engineers, physicians, therapists, biologists, physicists, and mathematicians. Through their collaborative efforts, biomechanics research is ever changing and expanding, explaining new mechanisms and principles for dynamic human systems. Biomechanics is used to describe how the human body moves, walks, and breathes, in addition to how it responds to injury and rehabilitation. Advanced biomechanical modeling methods, such as inverse dynamics, finite element analysis, and musculoskeletal modeling are used to simulate and investigate human situations in regard to movement and injury. Biomechanical technologies are progressing to answer contemporary medical questions. The future of biomechanics is dependent on interdisciplinary research efforts and the education of tomorrow’s scientists