Novel Ways Occupational Therapists Can Use Bodyweight Support Technology Bodyweight support technology (BWST) is used in physical rehabilitation to offload a percentage of an individual’s body weight with a harness and robotic technology. Many existing technologies implement body weight support. Bodyweight support technology decreases a person’s risk of further injury while also optimizing the challenges implemented in therapy. It can help increase confidence for both the patient and clinician when trying new, taxing activities in a safe environment. Strength, activity tolerance, and balance can simultaneously improve with the use of body weight support. There are various ways for occupational therapists to harness this technology for individuals at any level of care.
Physical Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain; approximately one in 10 people will develop it at some point in their life. The plantar fascia is a tissue that supports and helps maintain the longitudinal foot arch. Plantar fasciitis is an over-stretch injury; inadequate arch support can lead to plantar fasciitis. The good news: nearly 90 percent of individuals respond to conservative treatment such as physical therapy.
Understanding the Different Types of Stroke Stroke? CVA? TIA? With so many acronyms and names, it can be overwhelming to understand how and why a stroke might happen. A stroke, or a cerebral vascular accident (CVA), is a medical emergency in which the blood supply to the brain is limited or interrupted. This causes a lack of nutrients and oxygen that may result in brain damage and cell death.
Rediscovering Identity: Navigating Life After Limb Loss The full or partial loss of a limb is a challenging, life-altering event. Those who experience it often endure changes in many aspects of their life from their work to their relationships to their perception of themselves. There is a grieving process due to the loss of the limb, and the apparent loss of the life that they had once lived. These factors can leave individuals with limb loss struggling with their personal identity or how they see themselves and the qualities specific to them. Self-esteem and self-confidence may decline and be replaced by feelings of inadequacy.
5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Core The core and its importance in exercise is far more complex than most people know. In its entirety, the core can be thought of as a box that includes the abdominals in the front, the spinal and gluteal muscles in the back, the diaphragm as the roof, and the pelvic floor and hip muscles as the bottom. When all these muscle groups are equally strong and working together, safe and stable exercise is possible. However, if any of these core muscle groups are weak, it can lead to strain and overuse injuries. Thus, it is important to have a varied core exercise program to maintain a healthy and balanced core.
