written by Ela Lewis
Research shows that Repetition + Challenge = Improvement:
In order to continue to make progress after a neurological injury it is important to practice things that mean something to you. These tasks need to be practiced over and over and over again and as they get easier you should challenge yourself more. You can challenge yourself more by performing the task faster, longer or by adding resistance or weight to the task.
Let’s use drinking your favorite beverage as an example. Maybe at first you need to use a plastic, water bottle with only a little bit of beverage. You have to pry your hand open to get the bottle into your hand and you need someone to help you with 50 percent of the motion to get it to your mouth.
That is ok! Practice it. Practice it over and over and over.
I am suggesting a 100 reps if you can do it. 100 meaningful( you are working) reps!
Then when you can do it at that stage challenge your self a bit. First, have the person helping you back off and do more of the movement yourself.
You’ve mastered that, great! Next, add a little weight by adding more drink to your glass.
Got that? Awesome!
Now, change to a regular glass, start with a plastic one first and move to a glass. Want to make the changes even better, you can! After you practice with the glass add what is called mental practice. Imagine yourself doing the drinking task again and again and again. Think about doing it 100 times. This method can be applied to any task.
Ready, set, go! Get Better! Live Better!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Mind Over Matter
Did you know that over the last decade researchers have shown that practicing activities in your mind can translate to performing those activities easier and better than without the mental practice.
This type of practice has been done for several years by athletes and musicians. It has been proven to enhance an individuals ability to perform high level, difficult tasks. The athletes and musicians use this technique after they have been working on a difficult level of performance enhancement. For example, working on a new type of tennis serve or for a musician, a new challenging piece of music. These professionals use a specific regime in which they supplement a difficult task with mental practice. This helps the professional continue to enhance his/her ability to perform the task even after the physical task is complete.
Researchers in the area of stroke have applied this knowledge to the area of stroke rehabilitation. The goal is to look at how it effects function in the weak arm, as well as, the leg for walking. The research has been positive in both areas. Outcomes have been shown to be most effective when they are in conjunction with a structured therapy program. In the therapy program, specific functional tasks are practiced. Following the practice of the tasks, a specific thirty minute mental practice regime is practiced by the patient outside of the therapy program to further enhance the training effect of the therapy session.
Mental Practice has proven to be a powerful tool to improve performance in rehabilitation. Therefore, the next time you practice an activity that you want to do better, spend a little time practicing it in your mind both before and after and see if your results improve.
Cheers to recovery, until next time.
References:
Decety J. The neurophysiological basis of motor imagery. Behav Brain Res. 1996; 77: 45–52.
Weiss T, Hansen E, Beyer L, Conradi ML, Merten F, Nichelmann C, Rost R, Zippel C. Activation processes during mental practice in stroke patients. Int J Psychophysiol. 1994; 17: 91–100.
Page SJ, Levine P, Sisto S, Johnston M. Imagery combined with physical practice for upper limb motor deficit in sub-acute stroke: a case report. Phys Ther. 2001; 81: 1455–1462.
Clin Rehabil. 2001; 15: 233–240.
Page SJ. Imagery improves motor function in chronic stroke patients with hemiplegia: a pilot study. Occ Ther J Res. 2000; 20: 200–215.
Crosbie JH, McDonough SM, Gilmore DH, Wiggam MI. The adjunctive role of mentalpractice in the rehabilitation of the upper limb after hemiplegic stroke: a pilot study. Clin Rehabil.2004; 18: 60–68.
Dijkerman HC, Letswaart M, Johnston M, MacWalter RS. Does motor imagery training improve hand function in chronic stroke patients? A pilot study. Clin Rehabil. 2004; 18: 538–549.
This type of practice has been done for several years by athletes and musicians. It has been proven to enhance an individuals ability to perform high level, difficult tasks. The athletes and musicians use this technique after they have been working on a difficult level of performance enhancement. For example, working on a new type of tennis serve or for a musician, a new challenging piece of music. These professionals use a specific regime in which they supplement a difficult task with mental practice. This helps the professional continue to enhance his/her ability to perform the task even after the physical task is complete.
Researchers in the area of stroke have applied this knowledge to the area of stroke rehabilitation. The goal is to look at how it effects function in the weak arm, as well as, the leg for walking. The research has been positive in both areas. Outcomes have been shown to be most effective when they are in conjunction with a structured therapy program. In the therapy program, specific functional tasks are practiced. Following the practice of the tasks, a specific thirty minute mental practice regime is practiced by the patient outside of the therapy program to further enhance the training effect of the therapy session.
Mental Practice has proven to be a powerful tool to improve performance in rehabilitation. Therefore, the next time you practice an activity that you want to do better, spend a little time practicing it in your mind both before and after and see if your results improve.
Cheers to recovery, until next time.
References:
Decety J. The neurophysiological basis of motor imagery. Behav Brain Res. 1996; 77: 45–52.
Weiss T, Hansen E, Beyer L, Conradi ML, Merten F, Nichelmann C, Rost R, Zippel C. Activation processes during mental practice in stroke patients. Int J Psychophysiol. 1994; 17: 91–100.
Page SJ, Levine P, Sisto S, Johnston M. Imagery combined with physical practice for upper limb motor deficit in sub-acute stroke: a case report. Phys Ther. 2001; 81: 1455–1462.
Clin Rehabil. 2001; 15: 233–240.
Page SJ. Imagery improves motor function in chronic stroke patients with hemiplegia: a pilot study. Occ Ther J Res. 2000; 20: 200–215.
Crosbie JH, McDonough SM, Gilmore DH, Wiggam MI. The adjunctive role of mentalpractice in the rehabilitation of the upper limb after hemiplegic stroke: a pilot study. Clin Rehabil.2004; 18: 60–68.
Dijkerman HC, Letswaart M, Johnston M, MacWalter RS. Does motor imagery training improve hand function in chronic stroke patients? A pilot study. Clin Rehabil. 2004; 18: 538–549.
Don’t Give Up – Keep Working, Keep Searching
Welcome to our blog. Our goal is to help you empower yourself with the knowledge you need to get better if you are 2 days or 2 decades post stroke. We will post resources and success stories monthly. Please follow us and let us help you live a little better every day.
Over 6 million people in the US, just like you are stroke survivors and the number grows annually.
The great thing is that due to advances in medicine, more people are alive following a stroke. The not so great news is that many people are sent home from the hospital not completely as they were before. Some common symptoms that many stroke survivors continue to have are speech problems, memory deficits, and weakness on the side of the body opposite of the side of the brain that was damaged.
Traditionally, once someone returns home, therapy typically continues for a few months via visits to outpatient therapy or home health therapy. Then the survivor is discharged with a home exercise program and that’s it! Many of these programs don’t advance the patient past their current level of ability.
This would have been a fine approach 15 years ago when it was once thought that recovery did not occur past six months. Today we know that this is just not true!
Unfortunately, many health care professionals still believe the prior and won’t invest the time in people after the 6 month phase. This is ridiculous! If you are one of these people, don’t give up.
I have been a therapist and researcher in the area of stroke rehabilitation for 15 years and during those fifteen years I have seen almost all of my patients and subjects improve if they are willing to invest the time into:
Over the next several months we will help you with all three of these things.
Don’t give up hope and keep working!
Sincerely,
Ela Lewis, MSPT,NCS
Myomo,Inc
Over 6 million people in the US, just like you are stroke survivors and the number grows annually.
The great thing is that due to advances in medicine, more people are alive following a stroke. The not so great news is that many people are sent home from the hospital not completely as they were before. Some common symptoms that many stroke survivors continue to have are speech problems, memory deficits, and weakness on the side of the body opposite of the side of the brain that was damaged.
Traditionally, once someone returns home, therapy typically continues for a few months via visits to outpatient therapy or home health therapy. Then the survivor is discharged with a home exercise program and that’s it! Many of these programs don’t advance the patient past their current level of ability.
This would have been a fine approach 15 years ago when it was once thought that recovery did not occur past six months. Today we know that this is just not true!
Unfortunately, many health care professionals still believe the prior and won’t invest the time in people after the 6 month phase. This is ridiculous! If you are one of these people, don’t give up.
I have been a therapist and researcher in the area of stroke rehabilitation for 15 years and during those fifteen years I have seen almost all of my patients and subjects improve if they are willing to invest the time into:
- Finding the right health care provider
- Working hard on a daily basis on a structured and intensive exercise regime that is prescribed by a physician or therapist who is an expert in stroke
- Following a good diet and getting enough sleep
Over the next several months we will help you with all three of these things.
Don’t give up hope and keep working!
Sincerely,
Ela Lewis, MSPT,NCS
Myomo,Inc
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