Henry Hoffman
Tuesday, November 14th, 2023
Foot drop (sometimes called drop foot or dropped foot) is a condition that makes it difficult to raise the front of the foot and toes because of weakness or paralysis of the muscles and nerves that lift the foot. Stroke, muscular sclerosis, neurological disorders, or nerve injury cause foot drop. With foot drop, you have a higher risk of falling due to dragging your foot and catching your toes on the ground. Fortunately, several foot drop exercises can strengthen the muscles, increase mobility, and get you back to walking comfortably and confidently.
Henry Hoffman
Monday, June 5th, 2023
Last modified on November 2nd, 2023
Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of the No Plateau Podcast. I am your host, Henry Hoffman. I am thrilled to be with you today. We are going to talk about activity-based therapy for spinal cord injury and neurologically impaired populations. Many of us have heard of task-specific training or task-oriented training, but what about ABT or activity-based therapy? So, to help me discuss and digest this topic, I’ve invited Darcy Pernoud, who is an OT and owner of Back to Independence Rehab in North Carolina. Her clinic is a gym model approach for neuro and spinal cord injury patients, and a big part of her treatment is activity-based therapy. So, we are excited to have her to discuss this topic today. Welcome, Darcy. How are you?
Henry Hoffman
Monday, May 15th, 2023
Last modified on November 7th, 2023
Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of the No Plateau podcast. I am your host, Henry Hoffman, and I’m excited to be here with you today. Today we are going to be talking about inpatient rehab process following stroke, things to consider, and things to definitely not do or avoid. The first few weeks following a stroke are critical, and we, as OTs, can either help or hurt the outcome for many of our patients. So to help me discuss all of this, I invited a wonderful colleague of mine, who spent a fair amount of time in the inpatient rehab setting. Please welcome Cortney H. Jessee, who is an occupational therapist and a board-certified stroke rehabilitation specialist. Welcome, Cortney, how are you?
Henry Hoffman
Monday, February 20th, 2023
Last modified on November 7th, 2023
Well, hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of the No Plateau podcast. I am your host, Henry Hoffman, and happy to be here with you today. We have a very special guest with us today. Please welcome Keith Taylor to the podcast. He’s not only suffered a stroke at the age of 48, but he started an awesome online coaching, mentoring company that I’m gonna dive into. Of course, Keith being a stroke survivor himself can appreciate the struggles that a lot of our stroke patients go through.
And we’re excited to have him on, and the focus of today’s podcast, of course, is to learn more about Keith’s journey and his struggles and how he took those struggles and made something positive out of them and started the new company, Strength After Stroke, which is that life coaching online mentoring program for stroke survivors so they can maximize their potential.
Henry Hoffman
Monday, February 6th, 2023
Last modified on November 29th, 2023
Welcome everyone to the No Plateau podcast. I am your host, Henry Hoffman, and I am joined today with Teresa Biber Lomonte, a speech language pathologist and a swallowing specialist from the beautiful Costa Rica. She’s been there for a couple of years, which I just learned before the show. Teresa’s claim to fame was in the late nineties when she created an NMES, which is electrical stimulation protocol for the treatment of dysphagia. And has been teaching therapists and patients worldwide since 2001. And that will be the focus today on the podcast. So Teresa, welcome. Thanks for joining today. And what’s life like living in beautiful Costa Rica?
Henry Hoffman
Monday, November 28th, 2022
Last modified on November 29th, 2023
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the No Plateau Podcast. I’m your host Henry Hoffman and I’m happy to be here with you. I am excited to have back Jessica Miller, who is a fellow OT and the owner of Pathways and Neurorehabilitation Education. Welcome Jessica.
Henry Hoffman
Wednesday, October 26th, 2022
Last modified on May 15th, 2023
Foot drop (commonly known as drop foot) is a condition in which the front part of the foot fails to rise up due to weak or paralyzed muscles. It can happen temporarily or permanently and is a common side effect of medical conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, MS, and diabetes to name a few. After diagnosis, patients can expect to understand their symptoms, but sometimes are left with questions about walking with foot drop and what that may look like.
Resuming normal activity can be very difficult once you start experiencing symptoms associated with foot drop. Living with foot drop can be an emotional experience for those trying to adapt to the new lifestyle that comes with managing this condition. It is important to seek treatment from a medical professional quickly after you start experiencing signs of foot drop to help mitigate your symptoms and increase your chance of recovery. However, even with professional help, many patients are often left wondering about their limitations and how their ability to walk will be affected.
Henry Hoffman
Friday, June 24th, 2022
Last modified on May 15th, 2023
Robot-assisted therapy has become increasingly popular over the last two decades.
In fact, it is so well-known that out of the 1,300 RCT’s (Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials) in UE stroke recovery, robotic research leads the pack with 112 RCT’s!
There is no doubt robotic therapy, in some form or fashion, is here to stay. However is it a must-have or a nice-to-have intervention?
Spoiler Alert: looking at the latest research, the jury is still out.
Henry Hoffman
Wednesday, May 11th, 2022
Last modified on May 15th, 2023
NeuroplasticityStroke Rehabilitation ExercisesTherapist Advice
The damage inflicted by a stroke is unique to every patient, and so is the recovery process. It is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. The brain consists of 100 billion neurons and 200 trillion synapses. It’s nearly impossible to grasp the complexity and power of this amazing organ!
During a stroke, 32,000 neurons die every second, totaling around 1.2 billion for the entire event. That’s a lot, but consider the total neurons in the brain, it’s around one percent. That means 99 percent of the brain is still intact!
A variety of exercises and movements can be used to provide cues to the brain and achieve neuroplasicity. Thanks to pioneers like Dr. Merzenich, who conducted landmark studies in the 1980’s that confirmed the adult brain is not hard-wired, practitioners have an opportunity to “rewire the brain”.
Henry Hoffman
Thursday, April 28th, 2022
Electrical StimulationSaeboStim OneSaeboStim ProShoulder Pain
Shoulder subluxation, defined as a partial or incomplete dislocation that usually stems from changes in the mechanical integrity of the joint (muscles, tendons, ligaments) is a common issue with hemiplegic stroke survivors. There are several protocols for treating subluxation, such as electrical stimulation, but it’s often done improperly due to misconceptions about what’s considered “standard practice.”
Studies suggest that the supraspinatus and posterior deltoid muscles are the primary muscles to target when using electrical stimulation. Contrary to popular belief, this may not be the case. This blog aims to revisit what we already know about subluxation and proximal migration and challenge traditional beliefs many of us have embraced throughout our careers.
Let’s dive into when to use electrical stimulation and what the optimal muscles are for targeting.
