In Baltimore, Maryland, the Kennedy Krieger Institute, a research hospital has developed a special kind of treadmill to help retrain stroke survivors and other victims of brain injuries to learn to walk normally again. The treadmill contains a split belt. One side can move one foot backward and the other moves forward and can move at different speeds. The brain must automatically adjust to these different rhythms and directions to keep the person from falling down.
Patients who have a limp start to walk normally again a few minutes after the treadmill stops and temporarily change their walking patterns. The researchers are now looking into making the change permanent. Further tests will be done in a government-funded study that puts 40 stroke survivors through longer sessions on the treadmill to see if practice helps them permanently change their walk. If successful, they will then move on to helping children recovering from major brain surgery.
The key to the success of this treatment is through plastic city, a condition of the brain to adapt and reorganize itself. This process is usually easier for younger people, but it still is capable of working in older people. In the past, scientists have helped stroke victims regain strength in weakened arms by tying down the good arm and forcing them to only use their weak arm so as to strengthen it.
However, little research as been done to improve leg use until now. Another key is to get the patients started with this therapy immediately. Those who begin walking with a limp soon trains their body to think that this gait is normal. The sooner the habit is broken, the better these patients will improve.
For related articles visit http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/08/10/stroke.treatment.ap/index.html and http://www.birf.info/home/library/rehab/reh-hydrotherapy.html .
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2 users commented in " Split-Belt Treadmill Helps Those With Brain Injuries Recover "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackMichael Rowe is a Brain Injury survivor, but is denied
any treatment which will help him recover. In fact he is \
even denied the basic human rights, such as the freedom
of assoiation and freedom to receive phone calls and mail.
Michael Rowe is a victim of horrid injustice and abuse,
forced drugging of dangerous high doses of psycotropic drugs
which make his condition deteriorate to zombi state. Mike
is locked up in solitary confinement and used as a cash cow
by a ring of racketeers who profit from No Fault Auto Insur
which pays over 1000 dollars a day to keep him locked up for
life time incarceration, calling it “care”. No one will pop
the cork off this tightly organized SCAM of America’s fake
head injury Rehab INdustry. It is the American Holocast
nobody cares to come to the rescue of the innocent victims who
are crying out from the gulags for the chance to live their
lives in freedom. Now you are informed. Now you have an
obligation to print this and get the public informed. If you
have no concern for those trapped as hostages in these death
camps, perhaps you could do it to protect others who will
be targeted. Michael is hanging on by a string. The corrupt have
robbed him of precious years that can never be given back. But he
deserves to have the last years to live in freedom . He is
being punished for having a disability. The Brain Injury
Association is to be feared. They are decieving the public
to believe they are there to help.
They are a very dangerous organization for which any person
with a brain injury needs to be ware of their hidden agenda.
Please at least post this for others to read about poor Mike.
Maybe God will find someone out there who will help us free
him.
http://www.corruptionofmichael.com
Sincerely, Katie Morris from Michigan
I have a brain-injury and I am offeded by other people taking advantage of the brain injured. Due to the fact that I am already handicapped I am exessively quallified to check this stuff out. If I can help in any way, I am willing to do so. I have included my E-Mail if any options become available.
PopeGreg@Comcast.net
Greg Harrington
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