Can walking with cane help with muscle exercise?5 answersWalking with a cane can indeed aid in muscle exercise and activity. Research has shown various benefits depending on the context. For stroke patients, cane gait training significantly improves lower limb muscle activity and gait ability, with real-time weight support feedback providing additional benefits. Additionally, using trekking poles during mountain trekking helps maintain muscle function, reduces muscle damage indices, and lowers the potential for subsequent injury. In older individuals, descending steps with a cane within the recommended length range has little effect on muscle load, with step height having a greater impact on stability strategies. Furthermore, in adults with cerebral palsy, using canes during walking can reduce lower limb muscle activity and burden, particularly when using two canes.
How is the physical therapy in ICU patients?5 answersPhysical therapy in ICU patients plays a crucial role in improving outcomes and facilitating recovery. Studies highlight the benefits of early mobilization and physiotherapy interventions in ICU settings. Physiotherapists are essential in preventing and managing pulmonary issues, implementing respiratory therapy, and promoting early mobility in critically ill patients. Research indicates that physical rehabilitation in the ICU enhances physical function, reduces ICU and hospital length of stay, and is more effective when combined with low-dose rehabilitation and functional exercises. In Pediatric ICUs, physiotherapists focus on preventing respiratory and motor complications, contributing to better patient prognosis and recovery. ICU rehabilitation, conducted through a multidisciplinary team approach, is safe, feasible, and vital for addressing post-ICU syndrome and improving patient outcomes.
How can robots be used to help patients with rehabilitation?5 answersRobots can be used to help patients with rehabilitation by providing robotic-assisted rehabilitation, human-robot interventions, position-constrained assist-as-needed control, industrial robots in healthcare ecosystems, and lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots. Robotic-assisted rehabilitation involves using a robotic assistant to improve the effectiveness of human gait rehabilitation and recover mobility and strength after a stroke or spinal cord injury. Human-robot interventions, specifically social robots, can interact with patients in a human-centric environment and assist in the treatment of various diseases, including social anxiety, dementia, autism spectrum disorder, and stroke rehabilitation. Position-constrained assist-as-needed control methods aim to motivate patients with neurological injuries to actively increase muscle activity and ensure their safety during rehabilitation. Industrial robots, such as the UR3, can be used in shoulder rehabilitation exercises and have the potential to perform medical procedures in healthcare ecosystems. Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots utilize gait prediction models to improve the motor ability of patients and enhance human-robot cooperation.
What is the physiotherapy for spina bifida?4 answersPhysiotherapy plays a role in optimizing muscle strength, active movement, and functional abilities in individuals with spina bifida. It involves interventional stretching exercises, myofascial release, strengthening exercises, and a combination of Kegel Exercises and bridging exercises. Physiatrists and physical therapists must have sufficient knowledge about factors affecting ambulation, motor function assessment, and indications/limitations of physical therapy and brace treatment. Physiatrists, in consultation with other specialists, are well-suited to manage musculoskeletal, skin, bowel, bladder, renal, neurological, and other issues that arise in adults with spina bifida. Rehabilitation programs for spina bifida should be family-centered and conducted with a multidisciplinary team, starting from infancy and continuing throughout the patient's lifetime.
What are the traditional methods of therapy after a muscle injury?4 answersTraditional methods of therapy after a muscle injury include the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) to reduce pain and bleeding immediately after the injury and during the first 5 days. Mobilization of the muscle is recommended as soon as possible when pain at rest has disappeared. Muscle strengthening and stretching should be carried out gradually to induce remobilization without re-rupture and to allow return to daily activities. Rehabilitation programs, based on progressive eccentric, agility, and trunk stabilization exercises, help to organize the muscle scar and recover full muscle strength and flexibility. Retraining programs can be built around the specific practices of the sport when no pain is present during muscle contraction and stretching. The duration of these phases depends on the type of muscle injury and the individual possibility of scarring.
What should a physiotherapist do if the patient feels pain in performing eercises?5 answersPhysiotherapists should take a function-focused approach and avoid solely focusing on pain when a patient feels pain in performing exercises. The physiotherapist should set goals with the patient's guidance, aiming to achieve activities that are important and meaningful to the individual. It is important for the physiotherapist to convey a message of independence and reduce any sense of dependency on the healthcare professional. Additionally, physiotherapists should explore and assess the patient's pain experience, specifically focusing on the impact of pain on function. They can use communication strategies such as using open-ended questions, following the patient's discourse, and inviting the patient to talk about their troubles. Physiotherapists should also show a confident and reassuring attitude toward pain patients to reduce anxiety, promote physical activity, and reinforce self-management strategies.