Therapy Archives - Page 10 of 14

5 Things I Wish I Had Learned in PT School

There are just some lessons that, as a PT, you simply cannot learn in a formal educational environment.

I am not one of those people who bounded out of physical therapy school, brimming with confidence and ready to take on the world. I didn’t lead any groups or clubs during school. I made absolutely no effort to network. And I wound up spending the first two years of my PT career bouncing around a bit, trying to find my footing in the physical therapy industry. While I had a really solid clinical education in PT school, there are some thingsthat you simply cannot learn in a formal educational environment, because these lessons end up being pretty unique to you as an individual.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Man Moves Paralyzed Legs Using Device That Stimulates Spinal Cord

Researchers say these results offer further evidence that a combination of this technology and rehabilitation may help patients with spinal cord injuries regain control.

from Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic researchers used electrical stimulation on the spinal cord and intense physical therapy to help a man intentionally move his paralyzed legs, stand and make steplike motions for the first time in three years.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Going Global for Back Pain Treatment

Of the millions of Americans suffering from back pain, there are an equal number of possible treatments and technologies that we, as physical therapists, need to explore and administer.

from Physical Therapy Products

As widespread and pervasive as back pain is, physical therapists cannot treat it with a broad brush. There is no one-size-fits-all approach therapists can take to help patients find relief. Whether it’s chronic or acute pain, no two conditions are the same—and even if they were physiologically similar, the solutions could be widely different because the patients, themselves, are different.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Sensory Strategies for the School Based OT

For the child with sensory challenges, the classroom can be an overwhelming place—OTs can help ease their struggle with these strategies.

from The OT Toolbox

For the child with sensory challenges, the classroom can be an overwhelming place. All of the sensory systems are touched on in the classroom. When sensory systems are challenged, learning is a struggle. School based OTs are often times consulted when students struggle with physical or sensory issues that result in educational deficits. Previously, The OT Toolbox has shared free ways to incorporate sensory motor experiences into the classroom. You might be looking for more resources that can be used to address many sensory needs in the classroom. Read on for sensory resources for the school based occupational therapist and strategies that can be incorporated into OT in the school.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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I Am Not Defined By A Technique

Our profession naturally has many different treatment techniques, but at the end of the day, it is our reasoning approach that we should value over the technique itself.

from Evidence in Motion

I am a physical therapist. I am a physical therapist who uses manual therapy. One who uses exercise in many forms. I use pain neuroscience and specific treatments to address persistent pain (PNE, graded motor imagery, graded activity and exposure). I dry needle. I use heat, ice and, hell, sometimes I might use ultrasound. However, the most important clinical “technique” of all: the reasoning on how, when and why I use them.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Conceptualization of NDT-Based Handling Techniques for Infants: Two Perspectives

An in-depth look at the Neuro-Developmental Treatment/Bobath frame of practice applicable for infants with and/or at risk for cerebral palsy and related neuromotor disorders.

By Gerard J. DeMauro, PT, MSPT, C/NDT

Having trouble viewing the embedded PDF above? Click here to access it directly.

Gerard J. DeMauro, PT, BS/MS, C/NDT has been a physical therapist for nearly 40 years. He began as a physical therapy assistant with children with severe developmental disabilities while completing pre-requisite courses for admission to physical therapy school. He then attended and successfully completed a bachelor’s level physical therapy curriculum. He immediately began his clinical career working with children with cerebral palsy and related developmental challenges. He then successfully completed a work/study advanced master’s degree program with a specialization in developmental disabilities.

In addition to many staff and supervisory clinical positions, Mr. DeMauro has taught at a variety of colleges and universities, both as an adjunct and as a full-time assistant professor. He has published numerous articles and co-authored an article and book chapter. Gerard has been a frequent presenter at conferences and continuing education courses. He is currently maintaining an private clinical practice serving infants and young children with, or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. Gerard is trained and certified in pediatric NDT, having completed an eight-week course. He has also taken a three-week advanced NDT course specifically on baby treatment. He is a former member of the NDTA Board of Directors and remains an active member of the NDTA.

Mr. DeMauro can be reached via email at gdemauro101@aol.com, if you have any questions or comments.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Music Therapy Found to Be of Little Help

The finding comes as a blow to many people who promote the therapy as a way to help children with autism.

from Autism Eye

The researchers, based in Norway, came to their conclusion after studying 364 children with the condition. They randomly assigned half of the children to enhanced standard care for five months. This included intensive behaviour therapy, speech therapy, sensory motor therapy and medication. They assigned the other 182 children to enhanced standard care, plus improvisational music therapy.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Are Medical Robots the Future for Physical and Behavioral Therapy?

Socially assistive medical robots are being developed to help patients rehabilitate from stroke or brain injury, and conduct autism behavioral therapy.

from Medical News Bulletin

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Maja Mataric founded the field of socially assistive robotics, which centers around helping people with convalescence and rehabilitation using the power of social influence to change behavior. A professor of neuroscience, pediatrics, and computer science at the University of Southern California (USC), Dr. Mataricrecently spoke to Jennifer Abbasi of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) about her work with socially assistive robots.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The PT’s Guide to Patient-Centered Marketing

Marketing to referral sources and payers is still a necessary part of the game, but in this new model of health care, marketing to patients is crucial.

from WebPT

We write a lot about patient-centered care, which makes sense, because it is the care model of the future. In this paradigm, patients are—as they should be—front and center when it comes to making decisions about their health care. Of course, this type of shift requires providers to change the way they deliver their services—you know, more collaboration, greater transparency, and widespread use of technology that fosters seamless health data exchange. But it also requires a shift in the way providers market their practices. Sure, marketing to referral sources and payers is still a necessary part of the game, but in this new model of health care, marketing to patients is absolutely crucial. To do so successfully, physical therapy clinics must adopt marketing strategies that focus on the things patients care about most—namely, getting better, faster. Here’s everything you need to know to do just that.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Technology-Based Rehabilitation to Improve Communication after Acquired Brain Injury

The utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury.

from Frontiers in Neuroscience

The utilization of technology has allowed for several advances in aphasia rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury. Thirty-one previous studies that provide technology-based language or language and cognitive rehabilitation are examined in terms of the domains addressed, the types of treatments that were provided, details about the methods and the results, including which types of outcomes are reported. From this, we address questions about how different aspects of the delivery of treatment can influence rehabilitation outcomes, such as whether the treatment was standardized or tailored, whether the participants were prescribed homework or not, and whether intensity was varied. Results differed by these aspects of treatment delivery but ultimately the studies demonstrated consistent improvement on various outcome measures. With these aspects of technology-based treatment in mind, the ultimate goal of personalized rehabilitation is discussed.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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