Electrical stimulation could be your answer!
If you have weakness or paralysis because of your stroke, listen up. I know electrical stimulation can be your answer. It’s called e-stim in the stroke industry. There are different types of e-stim products, but I am going to focus on Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES). The technology is in a unit smaller than your phone, with several wires, and some pads.
The unit’s electrodes or pads (also placed on the skin near the affected muscles) cause rhythmic contractions. This can improve muscle strength if the user attempts to contract the muscle simultaneously. NMES can fight disuse atrophy. This is a common secondary complication of your stroke and can result in muscle changes that you don’t want. Finally, it reduces muscle spasms.
NMES engages you, and it gives you sensory and visual feedback. It “trains” your muscles in re-learning the way they used to work before your stroke. You have a carryover effect beyond treatment. Also, your muscles are goaded into working so blood flow improves. All these effects are A-OK!
I almost forgot…Put your “pet” emoji below if this idea caught your attention! Come on’…please leave your comments below. Back to the show!
In the future of e-stim therapy, it will mix implanted brain-computer interfaces and wearable or garment pieces that will make the technology seamless and habitual. You won’t even realize it’s in place doing the trick!
Remember…look on YouTube for my other videos. I recommend my video titled “After your stroke, do you have aphasia?” Check it out! Thank you. To your success!
In the photo above, a man is set up to treat his shoulder. Like me, many stroke patients have their shoulder sub-luxated. In other words, their arm isn’t held up in the shoulder joint. Gravity is winning and pulling down our arm when we have some weakness or paralysis of the shoulder muscles.
Sources: https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-relief/e-stim https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32448143/ & https://www.physio-pedia.com/Electrical_Stimulation_-_Its_role_in_upper_limb_recovery_post-stroke
#strokethivors
#electricalstimulation
#sensoryfeedback
#fightdisuseatrophy
#rhythmiccontractions
#thefutureofstroketherapy
#BDC
