116 HealtH Matters
Advertisement feAture
One Step FOrward
Swiss technology speeds up rehabilitation and offers hope to spinal injury and stroke patients.
W
hen Joan ryan and her children set
off on the short car journey from her
home to her parents’ house in 2001, little did
“the Lokomat
they know it would change their lives forever
as their car was involved in a severe accident.
uses robotic
“as a result of the collision I am blind, and my
locomotion
daughter edel, who was then five, suffered a
spinal injury just under her shoulder, which
therapy to
has been termed as complete.”
edel ryan now receives regular treatment
assist walking
on the lokomat. “For circulation and for
movements of
her heart, it’s of huge benefit,” says Joan.
“even psychologically; we want edel to
gait-impaired
have a long, happy and healthy life and
the lokomat can help keep her as healthy
patients on
as possible.” Due to the severity of edel’s
a treadmill,
injury, the lokomat will not mean that she
returns to walking, however, Joan and
combining
family hope that holistic benefits will accrue
from regular exercise.
functional
the lokomat uses robotic locomotion
locomotion
therapy to assist walking movements of gait-
impaired patients on a treadmill, combining
therapy
functional locomotion therapy with patient
assessment and feedback tools. It is used in
with patient
the rehabilitation of patients following stroke,
assessment and
spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury,
as well as patients with Multiple sclerosis,
feedback tools.”
Cerebral Palsy and other neurological
disorders. the benefits of using robotic
therapy are many, not least the intensity of
therapy one therapist can give, as opposed
to manually assisted gait training, which can
be challenging, labour intensive, requires
many therapists and usually results in functional improvements. lokomat really Another hocomA Product
relatively short training sessions. does the work of two physiotherapists, who Armeo – effective upper extremity
Joan ryan, who founded the charity would otherwise have to pick up and move rehabilitation
Coiséim eile, undertook a massive a patient’s legs, one at a time, in a walking strong research suggests that intensive
fundraising effort and, with the help of motion.” task-orientated therapy is effective for
another parent with a child in therapy at the First step rehab Centre is the only improving the arm function of individuals
First step therapy Centre, managed to centre in the republic to have a lokomat after stroke, traumatic brain injury or other
raise the c300,000 needed to bring the system available to the public (8am-8pm) neurological diseases and injuries. the
lokomat to the clinic. six days a week. to find out more, armeo facilitates upper extremity therapy
“First step is always open to any visit www.righttherapycare.com. and combines an adjustable arm support
innovation in the field of rehab,” said lokomat is supplied by Hocoma via its with augmented Feedback and a large
senthil Periyasamy, Director of the centre. partner in Ireland – rollingBall. For more 3-D workspace that allows functional
“We have seen the benefit of [using information go to www.rollingball.ie. therapy exercises in a virtual reality
the] lokomat for the patients and their tel: Jane evans + 353 (0)87 224 6287 environment.
HM Iss6.1 p71-128.indd 116 12/03/2010 16:16:59
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132