Saebo, Inc.

Stroke Recovery TripTik: "Recalculating Route" How to get your patients from "Not Ready" to "Approved" for Vivistim therapy can be like taking a road trip without GPS, or the good ole TripTik from back in the day. Growing up, some of my favorite memories included going to the local AAA for the famous #TripTik experience. If you grew up in the 70's/80's, you know what I am talking about. This is where you are greeted by the agent and their shiny yellow highlighter ready to layout your much anticipated road trip (the big one of the year) one page at a time. I feel sometimes, we as clinicians, are the AAA agents providing direction to our patients for their upcoming journey. We give them guidance on where the construction areas are located, places to avoid, and when to fill up the tank. Part of our job as clinicians is to continue to push the "neuroplastic" needle by embracing the latest science-driven strategies that can help them on the road to recovery. In my latest episode of the #noplateaupodcast, we learn how 3 "chronic" stroke survivors that did not yet qualify for #vivistim received the "All Clear" after using #Saebo for ~ 3 months. The episode discusses how these individuals cortically "recalculated their routes" to make more functional progress and finally qualify for this exciting new treatment. Click on the links in the comments to check out the full episode.

Podcast Alert! ?? On the latest episode of the #NoPlateauPodcast, we are talking about #Vivistimtherapy and how to advance low-level stroke patients from “not ready” or “not clinically appropriate” to meeting the criteria and “approved” for this specialized treatment. -What are the common reasons why stroke patients do not qualify for Vivistim Therapy? -Can Saebo solutions fast track patients so they meet the clinical criteria? -Is it too late for many? Amanda Saylor is an OT with over eight years of experience specializing in neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation. She works at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida, and is passionate about stroke rehabilitation. Thank you Amanda for an incredible conversation! Streaming links in comments! https://lnkd.in/dUCb7Av5 #noplateauinsight #saebo #vivistim #podcast #strokerecovery #neurorehab #strokepodcast #applepodcasts #occupationaltherapy #spotifypodcasts

Lower the Friction When it Comes to Shoulder Bursitis With Your Neuro Patients ? ? The subacromial bursa has long been described as friction-reducing tissue, which is often linked to stroke shoulder pain. The subacromial /subdeltoid bursa is the largest bursa in the human body, located at the shoulder laying between the acromion, deltoid, and the rotator cuff tendons. Shoulder bursitis is a common condition in the neuro population that can lead to significant discomfort and mobility issues. When it becomes inflamed, it can cause pain, swelling, and limited range of motion. ? ? Clinical Findings ?? Pain develops gradually in the shoulder and lateral deltoid region and typically radiating down the upper arm. ? ??The patient will experience pain during the painful arc test and usually one or more passive motions at end-range. ? ? Treatment ? The best treatment for subacromial bursitis typically involves a combination of therapy and corticosteroid injections. The removal of parts of the bursa (partial bursectomy) is also a common procedure in severe cases that do not respond to conservative treatments. ? 1. Therapy and Exercise:?If your neuro patient is fortunate enough to have isolated voluntary movement (3/5 or greater), then performing humeral head depressors and scapular upward rotators exercises are recommended, along with stretching and manual therapy.? ? 2. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, are routinely prescribed for pain and inflammation reduction. ? 3. Corticosteroid Injections: While steroid injections remain a mainstay for pain relief in persistent cases, they are generally used sparingly due to concerns over tendon weakening and joint cartilage deterioration with repeated administration. ? 4. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: This newer biologic treatment has gained attention as a minimally invasive option, particularly for individuals who do not respond to conventional therapies. PRP involves injecting a concentration of the patient’s own platelets into the affected area, which may promote tissue healing and reduce inflammation. ? 5. Shockwave Therapy: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has been explored as a non-invasive technique to stimulate blood flow, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain. ? 6. Arthroscopic Bursectomy: For cases unresponsive to conservative measures, arthroscopic bursectomy—a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove the inflamed bursa—may be indicated. ? ? To prevent or minimize the symptoms of bursitis in stroke patients with moderate to severe hemiparesis, in addition to proper positioning and careful stretching, consider de-weighting devices/mobile arm supports like the #SaeboMAS as part of the overall strength-training plan. #noplateauinsight

Clinicians should STOP doing these things ASAP! Using inversion as a mental model is a fantastic way to improve as a clinician. Instead of asking ourselves “how can we be the best clinicians for our patients?”, maybe we should look at it differently. How about “what should we STOP doing or AVOID doing” when it comes to neurorehabilitation? Using the concept of “Inversion” as you focus on being a better clinician. When you invert something you turn it upside down. As an example, instead of asking “how can I succeed?”,? you would ask “what would cause me to fail?” What things do I want to avoid during my treatments? What are the UNFORCED ERRORS that I want to avoid? Sometimes to be a better worker, performer, husband, wife, human, ? it might be best to think not what you need to do, but rather what you should avoid doing. When we focus on improving, we sometimes miss the very obvious unforced errors. Here are some unforced errors to think about when treating patients following a stroke. (No particular order... these are just a few of many) ?? Spending too much time on ADL training in the early days and not immediately emphasizing intensive task practice and stimulation. ?? Not providing families with in-room programs like mental practice, mirror box therapy and electrical stimulation. ?? Telling your patients that “no further progress is possible” or they have “plateaued”. ?? Not recommending appropriate products for home use (estim, splints/gloves, MAS). ?? Not staying up-to-date with the latest neuro research. ?? Strengthening the unaffected side and avoiding sufficient stimulation to the involved side. ?? Doing too few reps with their patients. No more 3 sets of 10! ?? Too prideful or afraid to ask for help. Lives depend on you. ?? Not emphasizing the importance of cardiovascular training. ?? Not doing enough education regarding the stages of stroke recovery and the power of neuroplasticity. Using inversion is a good mental model for any facet of your life whether it is weight loss, lifestyle change or rehabilitation. Instead of what you should do better, try inverting it and consider what should you stop doing today! #noplateauinsight?

You need to deweight the limb to max out those reps…. When the neuro arm is stronger, you will see less spasticity in the hand during exertive functional movements. Strengthening the proximal muscles is a must. We also see if you deweight the arm using a mobile arm support, the grip aperature will be larger,?meaning the hand will have less tone during exertion. Using a mobile arm support is a MUST for every #CIMT clinic or clinicians practicing task training. ? Lan Y, Yao J, and Dewald JPA examined paretic hand opening and closing by 26 patients with chronic stroke under three conditions:? ? 1) upper limb supported by table,? 2) upper limb loaded to 25% of maximum voluntary shoulder elevation torque,? 3) upper limb loaded to 50% of maximum voluntary shoulder elevation torque.? ? What did they find? ? The degree to which the hand could be opened decreased with shoulder loading in patients with moderate deficits.?? ? Conversely, grasping forces increased with shoulder loading - particularly in patients with severe deficits.? ? Based on the authors’ findings, it seems possible that patients whose ability to open the hand is present but limited, may benefit from upper limb support when performing tasks requiring hand opening. ? This study emphasizes the effectiveness of de-weighting the limb so adequate hand opening can occur during repetitive task-training.? ? With the arm supported, the user will require less exertion resulting in decreased hypertonicity distally during the task.? ? #noplateauinsight? #saebomas

Don’t be stuck with the wrong therapist! Many of us perform due diligence when making big decisions such as purchasing a car, deciding on the best computer to buy, or finding a home.? ? Why do we not provide this level of scrutiny when searching for the very best therapist (or clinic) to make or break our own recovery? ? Here are 5 must-ask questions a patient should keep in mind when interviewing an outpatient therapist: ? 1?? Do you embrace evidence-based treatment?? ? This is a must! If the answer is yes, be sure to ask for examples of what type of interventions he or she considers to be evidence-based. Go to?www.ebrsr.com?to see what stroke treatments are considered beneficial. You can also search on Pubmed. ? 2?? Do you subscribe to more than one specific treatment approach when treating stroke clients? ? Get your keys and run for the door if the therapist only practices one approach. Research shows that no single approach is superior and that it will take numerous strategies and techniques to foster recovery. ? 3?? How many neuro patients do you treat per month? ? Ideally, more than half of their caseload should be neuro patients. ? 4?? Are you comfortable with utilizing stroke technology? ? If the therapist states “My hands are my special tool”, then this will be your first red flag.?If the clinician only uses his or her hands for treatment, then I am assuming he/she will need to move into your home to offer daily “special” hands on treatment. This is clearly not effective, nor realistic. ? 5?? What technology does your clinic currently have that may be beneficial? ? Have the therapist specifically list what equipment they use to address impairments similar to your concerns. Again, look at?www.ebrsr.com?for all of the research. ? Although the above is not a comprehensive list of questions to ask (personality, energy level, compassion, communication style, etc.) when choosing a therapist, it does touch on the key topics regarding neurorehabilitation treatment.? ? Remember, you are the customer and they are providing you a service. #noplateauinsight

Nice to see Yung Gravy warming up using his #saeboglove with Alec Burleson from the St. Louis Cardinals before throwing out the first pitch. https://lnkd.in/dtbj97yb