Effects of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Motor and Gait Improvement in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

Effects of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Motor and Gait Improvement in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2013 Jan 15;
Kumru H, Benito J, Murillo N, Valls-Sole J, Valles M, Lopez-Blazquez R, Costa U, Tormos JM, Pascual-Leone A, Vidal J

OBJECTIVE: . Incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) patients have the potential to regain some ambulatory function, and optimal reorganization of remaining circuits can contribute to this recovery. We hypothesized that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may promote active recovery of motor function during gait rehabilitation. METHODS: . A total of 17 incomplete SCI patients were randomized to receive active rTMS or sham stimulation coupled with rehabilitation therapy; 3 patients who began in the sham group crossed over to the active rTMS group after a washout period of more than 3 weeks. Active rTMS consisted of 15 daily sessions over the leg motor area (at 20 Hz). We compared lower-extremity motor score (LEMS), 10-m walking test for walking speed, timed up and go, Walking Index for SCI Scale, Modified Ashworth Scale, and Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool at baseline, after the last session, and 2 weeks later in the active rTMS and sham stimulation groups. RESULTS: . A significant improvement was observed after the last rTMS session in the active group for LEMS, walking speed, and spasticity. Improvement in walking speed was maintained during the follow-up period. Sham stimulation did not induce any improvement in LEMS, gait assessment, and spasticity after the last session and neither during follow-up. CONCLUSION: . In incomplete SCI, 15 daily sessions of high-frequency rTMS can improve motor score, walking speed, and spasticity in the lower limbs. The study provides evidence for the therapeutic potential of rTMS in the lower extremities in SCI rehabilitation.
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The effect of Nintendo(R) Wii(R) on balance in people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized control study.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Mult Scler. 2013 Jan 15;
Brichetto G, Spallarossa P, de Carvalho ML, Battaglia MA

Improvement of sensory strategies is a relevant part of balance rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to Assess the effectiveness of visual-feedback exercises in improving balance in MS. We divided 36 patients into Wii and control-treated groups that underwent balance rehabilitation. Outcomes were obtained for Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, and sway area under conditions of opened and closed eyes. BBS showed a statistically significant improvement (from 49.6 to 54.6 points, p < 0.05) in the Wii group. Interactive visual-feedback exercises such as Wii could be more effective than the current standard protocol in improving balance disorders in MS. HubMed – rehab

 

Improving balance and mobility in people over 50 years of age with vision impairments: can the Alexander Technique help? A study protocol for the VISIBILITY randomised controlled trial.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Inj Prev. 2013 Jan 15;
Gleeson M, Sherrington C, Borkowski E, Keay L

BACKGROUND: Falls are an increasingly important and costly public health problem. Vision is key to postural stability as we age and this puts adults with visual impairments at greater risk of falls. Physical interventions improve balance in the general population and in older adults with visual impairments in residential care. They also prevent falls in the general community but to date have not been shown effective in community-dwelling adults with visual impairments. OBJECTIVE: To investigate, with a randomised controlled trial, whether the Alexander Technique (AT) can improve balance and mobility in the community-dwelling population with visual impairments and thus reduce the risk of falls. The AT is a form of physical re-education that has recently received attention for its possible value in rehabilitation. METHOD AND DESIGN: One hundred and twenty people with visual impairments over 50 years of age will be recruited from Guide Dogs New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT). Participants will be independently mobile and cognitively able to take part in the programme. After baseline assessment participants will be randomly assigned to two groups. The control group will receive usual care from Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, and the intervention group will receive 12 weekly home-based lessons in the AT in addition to usual care. The primary outcome measures will be physical measures from the short physical performance battery at 3 months. Secondary outcome measures will be balance, mobility, social participation and emotional well-being at 3 and 12 months.Trial registration number: The protocol is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12610000634077).
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Epidural methadone results in dose-dependent analgesia in cancer pain, further enhanced by epidural dexamethasone.

Filed under: Rehab Centers

Br J Cancer. 2013 Jan 15;
Lauretti GR, Rizzo CC, Mattos AL, Rodrigues SW

Background:This study was designed to evaluate the role of epidural methadone-lidocaine in cancer pain combined or not to epidural dexamethasone.Methods:In all, 72 cancer patients, 32- to 67-year-old were randomized to six groups (n=12) and prospectively studied to examine analgesia and adverse effects for 3 weeks. Patients received single-dose protocol epidural test drugs: Control group (CG) received epidural 40-mg lidocaine diluted to 10-ml volume with saline. Dexamethasone group (DG) 40-mg lidocaine plus 10-mg dexamethasone. The 2.5MetG 2.5-mg epidural methadone with 40-mg lidocaine; the 5MetG, 5-mg epidural methadone plus 40-mg lidocaine, the 7.5MetG, 7.5-mg epidural methadone plus 40-mg lidocaine and finally the 7.5Met-DexG, 7.5-mg methadone with 40-mg lidocaine and 10-mg dexamethasone.Results:Groups CG, DG and 2.5MetG were similar regarding analgesia and side effects. Patients from 5MetG and 7.5MetG took 3±1 and 5±1 days, respectively, to restart oral morphine. Patients from 7.5MetDG took 14±2 to restart oral morphine (P<0.001). Daily somnolence and appetite improved in the 7.5MetDG during 2-week evaluation (P<0.005). Fatigue improved for both DG and 7.5MetDG during 2-week evaluation (P<0.005). By the third week of evaluation, all patients were similar.Conclusions:Epidural methadone plus lidocaine resulted in dose-dependent analgesia, further improved by epidural dexamethasone, which also improved fatigue.British Journal of Cancer advance online publication, 15 January 2013; doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.593 www.bjcancer.com. HubMed – rehab

 

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