Podcasts about walkaide

A minor electric signal is all it takes to move a couple hundred pounds of human. When we walk, the brain sends a signal through the spine to the individual muscles of the legs, feet, and core to manage the complex orchestra of contraction and relaxation that makes balance and walking possible. After stroke, the brain may stop sending all or some of those signals. That breaks the ability to walk. It happened to me and millions of others. There is nothing wrong with my leg, though. The muscles, joints, tendons and nerves in my leg, foot, and core are all still there and as fully functional as they were before the stroke. They're just waiting for he signal from my brain which, in the beginning, never came. Rehab was about getting the brain to send that signal again. And it started sending some of it. It's not as complete as it used to be. Or as strong. But it's enough that I can walk with my cane and brace well enough, and not quite as well without my aids. But, again, it's a brain issue, not a leg issue. If you can send a signal to those muscles without the brain, can you effectively get those muscles to move and walk more effectively? Yes you can. That's what Neural Sleeve from Cionic does. In this episode, I speak with Cionic CEO and founder Jeremiah Robison about the Neural Sleeve, why it works, how stroke survivors can learn more, and how his daughter inspired this product. If you don't see the audio player below, visit http://Strokecast.com/ElectricPants to listen to the conversation. Click here for a machine-generated transcript Who is Jeremiah Robison? Jeremiah Robison is the Founder and CEO of CIONIC, an innovative company that builds lightweight and durable bionic clothing driven by powerful algorithms that adapt in real time to each individual's mobility needs. He started the company in 2018 after his daughter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and he was frustrated at the lack of effective technology available to help improve her mobility. Four years later, CIONIC introduced the breakthrough, FDA-cleared Cionic Neural Sleeve, the first product to combine sensing, analysis and augmentation into a wearable garment. Prior to CIONIC, Jeremiah spent twenty years at the intersection of data, algorithms, and the human body, driving innovation in sensing and machine learning at Apple, Openwave Systems, Slide, and Jawbone. Jeremiah has a BS and MS in Computer Science from Stanford University. Jeremiah's daughter Jeremiah's daughter, Sofia, was apparently in a rush to meet this amazing world. She was born early, weighing just 2 pounds, 4 ounces. She developed Cerebral Palsy in the process. Cerebral Palsy (CP) and stroke are similar conditions. In fact, as Dr. Heather Fullerton explained in episode 49 ( http://Strokecast.com/PediatricStroke) roughly 50% of CP is caused by stroke in utero or shortly after birth. CP is the result of not enough oxygen getting to the right part of the brain at the right time of development. Brain cells die or don't develop or don't form the right networks the way they should. As a result, a child can develop any number of challenges around mobility, speech, dexterity, and more. Just like adults (and other children) with stroke. The damage from stroke in the brain is also, in part, due to lack of oxygen getting to the right parts when they need it due to a disruption in the blood supply. Stroke survivors have a lot in common with our neuro cousins in the CP and MS communities, to name a few. Jeremiah talks about wanting to help Sofiawith her gait, as any parent would. Jeremiah was in a position to do something about it, and the Neural Sleeve comes from that experience. Sofia herself is now 12 years old and has developed a presence on Instagram with the family's nonprofit at @WAWOSORG. Sofia shares her own inspirational tips and exercise strategies for other kids with CP or other disabilities. View this profile on Instagram WAWOS (@wawosorg) • Instagram photos and videos FES FES stands for Functional Electric Stimulation. I talked about the technology in more detail in episode 92 - Electrodes and a Stationary Bike — FES for Stroke Treatment. I've used eStim in therapy while I was inpatient and then at home, too. Devices are available on Amazon for $30-$50.* You put 2-4 electrodes on an arm or leg, roughly at either end of a muscle. The AA battery powered unit sends a minor electric signal to the electrode. The nerves at the end of the muscle detect it and think the brain is sending the signal. The nerve then contracts or relaxes the muscle. The muscle is doing the actual work. It can be a great way to help an affected limb get some exercise, stretch some tendons, and generally not waste away. In the shoulder, it can even treat subluxation. FES is the next level of eStim. Instead of just making the muscle move, it makes it, and other muscles move much more precisely to accomplish a specific function. In the case of Restorative Therapies, this was to coordinate movement to drive rahab. https://youtu.be/HJo07_JimOA Some of the more well-known FES devices are those from Bioness and Walkaide. They specifically stimulate the muscles that lift our toes (the dorsiflexors) to eliminate foot drop while walking. They are an alternative to an AFO. The look like a cuff that a person wears just below the knee. They work great for some folks, but not all. They're also not typically covered by insurance. I tried them both earlier in my post-stroke life. The Walkaide worked better on my gait, but at $5K-$6K to buy the unit (in 2019), I decided the benefit simply wasn't worth the cost for me. For others, the device is a great solution. Author Maddi Niebanck who survived a stroke at 22 and was in episode 97 uses the Bioness and is a big fan. The Neural Sleeve takes this technology further. As Jeremiah explained, the network of electrodes in the device means that precise placement is not as important. Software can adjust for that.  With its larger assortment of electrodes, it can also stimulate more muscles and address other aspects of gait. And it looks less like a home-release ankle monitor. The rental aspect of the Neural Sleeve also makes it more accessible to more folks, similar to the approach adopted by show sponsor Motus Nova for its rehab device. The best rehab gear is the gear you won't need forever, and that rental becomes much more compelling. At least under the American model of health care financing. Cionic Images You can get a look at the device in these images. Or visit http://cionic.com. No Plateau Podcast Many stroke survivors have heard of Saebo. The make a series of devices for survivors. One of them is the Saebo Step, which is an alternative AFO. They sent me one several months ago, and I use it as my summer AFO. Specifically, it's the one I use when I wear short pants or sneakers. They also have a podcast called the "No Plateau Podcast" which is a great name for a stroke oriented show. And I'm the guest on episode 6. It was a lot of fun and I didn't have to do the editing. In the episode, I share my stroke journey and we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of stroke rehab. We also talk about what I mean when I say, "Don't get best…get better." And we talk about some of the inequities affecting female presenting and BIPOC stroke survivors. You can listen right here. If you don't see the audio player below, visit http://Strokecast.com/ElectricPants to listen to the conversation. Or go directly to the audio at this link. And check out more episodes of the No Plateau Podcast on Saebo's website or in your favorite podcast app. Hack of the Week Jeremiah recommends patience. Recovery is a journey as we well know, and we can take it just a piece at a time. It's also important to capture the process in notes, video, audio, and/or pictures. As we make progress day-by-day we won't see it. It's only when we look back at our records that we see how far we've come. And of course this aligns well with the idea of "Don't get best…get better." It's that incremental progress that matters…little bits every day that over time add up to success and goal achievement. Links Where do we go from here? To learn more about Cionic, Jeremiah, and Sofia, visit http://Cionic.com or check out the social media links in the table above. Share this episode with someone you know by giving them the link http://Strokecast.com/ElectricPants Subscribe to the Strokecast newsletter at http://Strokecast.com/News Don't get best…get better.

Olivia and Emilee were my two, awesome inpatient OTs a couple years ago, and we stayed in touch after I left the hospital. One day, Olivia told me about the amazing new $40K rehab bike they just got. They were getting great results with patients. It’s too bad my stroke didn’t happen a year later. The new device was the RT300. It combines therapy, eStim, and data with exercise to help patients improve their core, their leg use, their arm use, or all three at once. So Olivia put me in touch with Restorative therapies. sStim The brain controls the muscles and makes us move by sending electrical signals through our nerves with various chemical processes. After stroke the brain may no longer be able to do that to certain muscles. That’s how we get paralysis, hemiparesis, and all sorts of similar issues. That also means that we can bypass the brain and move those muscles by sending an electrical signal directly to the nerves at the muscle to stimulate them to make them move. This is great because movement is important to both health and recovery. And that’s what eStim does. The most popular eStim for Stroke survivors is TENS. This is the type I used in the hospital and later at home. I attach a couple electrodes to my affected arm, and for 30 minutes, my hand will open and close. Or my wrist will go up and down. Or I’ll do something with my shoulder. Combining eStim with exercise is great therapy and promotes recovery. And the units cost about $40 on Amazon. FES is the type of eStim you’ll find in the Bioness products and the WalkAide. These devices use eStim to prevent foot drop and replace an AFO. The user wears it strapped below the knee as they walk, and it stimulates the muscle that lifts your foot as you walk. I tried them both and had some good results with the WalkAide. At $5,000, though, it didn’t make enough of a change in my life to justify buying it. IFES is the technology Restorative Therapies uses in their RT300 bike and Xcite treatment device. The use eStim on up to 12 muscles at once in a specific, timed pattern to accomplish a task. It’s complex, but it can help the brain relearn to do these things in the future. Restorative Therapies Team Jim Janicki is the President and CEO of Restorative Therapies. Jim has an extensive management background in sales, R&D,  and operations in the chemical, medical, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. He joined Restorative Therapies in 2018. Wendy Warfield is the Clinical Education Manager. She makes sure that patients, therapists, physicians, and researchers understand how to most effectively use the Restorative Therapies devices. Wendy is well-suited for this role . She began working at an Occupational Therapist in 2003, and bring that survivor focused perspective to the work that she does. Me and the xCite Some weeks back, I got to try the xCite. I got to work with the reps Stephanie and Michael when they visited the Seattle areas. Unlike the bike, the Xcite is only for clinical use. It features a series of preprogrammed activities like reaching for a water bottle or brushing your hair. It fires the nerves in sequence so the muscles do what they need to do for me to complete the act. Here are some pictures and a video from my experience. Main menu on the Xcite highlighting different exercises loaded into the unit. Detailed menu on the Xcite allowing a therapist to enable or disable stimulation to specific muscles. Just a few of the electrodes on my arm. Stroke Stories On another note, Stroke Stories, a UK podcast focused on, well, stroke survivor stories, featured my story on episode 50. You can listen to it here: The show mostly features UK survivors, but more recently has been including folks from other parts of the worlds. I enjoy listening for the wide range of folks the bring on the show. It’s also different from other podcasts in that it features a narrator rather than a host and a guest. Basically, the person who interviewed me does not appear in the show. His job was to help me tell my story and get out of the way. In that respect, it’s more like a radio show. Definitely check it out and add it to the list of podcasts you regularly listen to. Hack of the Week Wendy’s hack for us is to keep moving. Movement is important to recovery. It keeps the muscles and tendons healthy and flexible. It’s important for cardio vascular exercise. Getting the appropriate exercise helps with heart health, blood pressure, and can reduce the risk of another stroke. Even if we have physical limitations today, moving as much as possible makes future recovery more realistic. While some exercises may be better than others, you don’t have to get caught up in details. The important thing is to just keep moving. Links Restorative Therapies on the web https://restorative-therapies.com/ Restorative Therapies on Twitter https://twitter.com/restothera Restorative Therapies on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/restothera/ Restorative Therapies on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/restothera Restorative Therapies on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/restothera/ Restorative Therapies on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/restothera/ Kennedy Krieger Institute https://www.kennedykrieger.org/ RT300 https://restorative-therapies.com/ifes-systems/rt300/ Xcite https://restorative-therapies.com/ifes-systems/xcite/ TENS on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tens&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 Emilee on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Emilee Lana Malovana on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Raccoon Dr. Shah and Sentinel Healthcare http://Strokecast.com/Sentinel Lauren Sheehan on Strokecast http://Strokecast.com/Lauren Bioness http://www.bioness.com/Home.php WalkAide https://acplus.com/walkaide Jim janicki on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-janicki-26884b/ Stroke Stories Podcast https://www.stroke.org.uk/life-after-stroke/stroke-stories-podcast Bill on Stroke Stories https://play.acast.com/s/strokestories/strokestoriesepisode50-billmonroe Where do we go from here? To learn more about the RT300 bike, the Xcite device, or Restorative Therapies, check out their website at  https://restorative-therapies.com/. Ask your PT or OT about their thoughts on IFES. Share this episode with someone in your life by giving them the link http://Strokecast.com/RSI Subscribe to Strokecast and Stroke Stories in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode Don’t get best…get better. Strokecast is the stroke podcast where a Gen X stroke survivor explores rehab, recovery, the frontiers of neuroscience and one-handed banana peeling by helping stroke survivors, caregivers, medical providers and stroke industry affiliates connect and share their stories.

Hey Medicare Nation! Millions of people are diagnosed with "Foot Drop." Some people also call it......"Drop Foot." Help A Child or Adult Walk Again! Either way, Foot Drop is a serious matter! Foot Drop is a weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in lifting the front part of the foot, necessary for walking. Foot Drop causes a person to drag the foot and toes, or engage in a high-stepping walk called a steppage gait. Foot Drop Increases the risk of falling.   Who Can Be Diagnosed With Foot Drop? Men or Women, at any age. What are some causes of Foot Drop? Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Paulsy, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injurey, Spinal Cord Injuries, and other injuries to the Peroneal Nerve in the leg.  Viruses can cause Foot Drop as well as other infections. Injuries to the leg and/or the lower back can also cause Foot Drop. What is a WalkAide? A WalkAide is a Functional Electrical Stimulation Device, when wore on the calf, sends electric impulses to the affected foot causing the foot and leg to lift.  Where Can I get information on WalkAides? Go to the Hanger Clinic website: https://goo.gl/9UuX7Y Are Other Types of FES Devices Available? Yes. The Bioness L300 is also available. Go to the Bioness Website for more information. https://goo.gl/FMXr5i Who are the Freedom to Walk Foundation? The Freedom to Walk Foundation is a 5019c)3 non-profit, dedicated to assisting with funds for the purchases of WalkAides for children AND Adults diagnosed with Foot Drop due to: * Multiple Sclerosis *Cerebral Palsy * Stroke * Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury * Traumatic Brain Injury If you want more information about the Freedom to Walk Foundation, go to their website: FreedomToWalkFoundation.org Go To 6th Annual Freedom to Walk Foundation GALA

Hey Medicare Nation! Do you know what "Drop Foot" is? Foot Drop is a weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in lifting the front part of the foot necessary for walking. It causes a person to drag the foot and toes, or engage in a high-stepping walk called a "steppage gait." This increases the risk of falling for individuals.  There are about 70,000 people diagnosed with Food Drop in the State of Florida alone! I have teamed up with the Freedom to Walk Foundation, to assist them in raising funds for the purchase of WalkAides. WalkAides are electronic stimulating devices when worn on the calf, sends electric impulses to the affected foot, causing the muscles to contract and lift the foot and leg. Children and adults are WALKING agian with the help of WalkAides! The one major problem, is that most medical insurance companies don't cover WalkAides. Medicare will only cover WalkAides for those diagnosed with "Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury." Those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebal Palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injuries and complete spinal cord injuries, are not covered by most insurance companies. How can you help? A WalkAide costs $5,000 to purchase. A $5.00 or more donation to the Freedom to Walk Foundation will help children and adults purchase WalkAides. Please be considerate and donate with your heart! www.FreedomtoWalkFoundation.org/donate Thank You! NEW MEDICARE CARDS are being mailed now. Your New Medicare Cards…….which are now called “Medicare Beneficiary Identifier” or MBI……have started mailing! People who are enrolling in Medicare for the first time will be among the first in the country to receive the new cards. Your new card will automatically come to you. You don't need to do anything as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, visit ssa.gov and sign up for MySocialSecurity Account. Once you get your new Medicare card, destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card right away. Current States Receiving New Medicare Cards  Delaware Pennsylvania Virginia Washington D.C.   AND….. West Virginia Want to know when YOUR card has been mailed? Go to Medicare.gov/NewCard Enter your email to receive an email when your new Medicare Card is mailed to you. What do the New Medicare Cards Look Like? Across the top of the New Medicare Card will read…..Medicare Health Insurance….in “white” letters inside a blue border. There is also an image of an Eagle in white outline. Your Name will appear on the next line. The next line will be the NEW set of Characters. The New Card will have  “11 Characters – both numbers and letters of the alphabet. All Letters will be Capitalized and spot # 2, 5, 8 & 9 on your card, will ALWAYS be a Letter of the alphabet.   Finally, you’ll see Your effective date of your Part A of Medicare…….. And you’ll see Your effective date of Part B if you enrolled in Medicare Part B. Here are things to know about your new Medicare card Your new card will automatically be mailed to you. You don’t have to do anything as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, go to www.ssa.org  and enroll in a My Social Security Account.  Your Medicare coverage and benefits will stay the same. Your card may arrive at a different time than your friend’s or neighbor’s. Medicare is mailing over 60 million New Cards. CMS says they will have completed the mailing by April of 2019. We’ll see if that’s true! Once you get your new Medicare card, destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card right away. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO), your Medicare Advantage Plan ID card is your main card for Medicare—Use your Medicare Advantage Plan ID Card whenever you need care. And, if you have a separate Medicare precrption drug plan, be sure to keep that ID card as well.   Doctors, other health care providers and facilities know it’s coming and will ask for your new Medicare card when you need care, so carry it with you. Only give your new Medicare Number to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, your insurers, or people you trust to work with Medicare If you forget your new card, you, your doctor or other health care provider may be able to look up your Medicare Number online. And….until January 2020, health care providers may use your New Medicare Card or your Social Security number to process claims. FINALLY….. Be Careful! Scammers are out there  trying to steal your identity! Medicare will NEVER call you and ask for Personal Information! The Government can’t even process Medicare Advantage Plan Changes timely…….they certainly don’t have the staff or the time to call Medicare Beneficiaries. So DON”T trust ANYONE who calls and says they are calling you from Medicare. Your Insurance Agent, Medicare Advisor or a representative from your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan will call you …..WITH YOUR PERMISSION!   If someone calls and says they are calling about your New Medicare card….. HANG UP THE PHONE ON THEM!             If someone calls and says they are from your Medicare Advantage Plan…. Ask them a few questions to make sure they are legit. Ask them these questions:   How much is my current premium for my Medicare Plan? If they are from your Medicare Insurance Plan….they should know the answer!   Ask them who your Primary Doctor is. Again……they should have that information documented.   Finally……if you are still unsure of who you are talking to…..HANG UP! Call the customer service number on the back of your Medicare Insurance Plan card and when a representative answers……ask them if they just contacted you. RESOURCES: ssa.org www.medicare.gov/newcard  

Ghaith Androwis, PhD presenting at the Fellow Symposium "Advances in Wearable Robotics & Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research" Ghaith joined the Human Performance and Engineering Lab at Kessler Foundation, with interest to work on Exoskeleton robotics (Ekso) for walking rehabilitation in adults after stroke, TBI and children with CP; Functional electrical stimulation for rehabilitation of foot drop (WalkAide device). Another area of interest includes the application of novel interventions (i.e. vestibular stimulation, Whole body vibration) on individuals with neuromuscular disability with the aim to reduce their level of disorder (i.e. Spasticity, Dystonia and muscle tone).

Molly Cooper, CPO Director of Clinical & Technical Services, SPS