Friday, March 3rd, 2017
Last modified on May 15th, 2020
Over the years, working as an occupational therapist, I have watched more than a dozen clients progress with the use of the SaeboGlove and the SaeboFlex. My clients love the SaeboGlove. The feedback I receive and the results are phenomenal. The SaeboGlove is lightweight and the rubber fingertips enable my clients to grip objects more easily. The SaeboGlove allows people the freedom of feeling what it’s like to open and close their hands again – all by themselves, without my assistance or the use of electrical stimulation. My clients can see that they themselves are accomplishing tasks. Being able to use an extremity for the first time after an injury increases the client’s motivation, determination, and hope, which in turn allows for high repetition of meaningful tasks. This will assist in facilitating neuroplastic changes in the nervous system.
I start clients out stacking foam blocks and then we move on to more slippery wooden blocks. Finally, I ask them to pick up marbles. I like to challenge them this way and I know that eventually, they will have success with the SaeboGlove. In addition to these repetitive tasks, I also try to find exercises that are meaningful in some way to my clients. Right now one of my clients is learning how to type with the use of the SaeboGlove. She may not become a perfect ten finger typist, but she will be able to locate the letters and push them. This will enable her to use her computer, get back on social media, and communicate with people. Another patient, who was in high school, wore his SaeboGlove to school and was able to unzip his backpack and open his own lunch. This was huge for him because it’s hard enough to be in a wheelchair without having to ask people to open your Tupperware!
I recommend the SaeboFlex for clients with moderate to high flexor tone. The spring system allows the clients to open their hands as they learn to inhibit the flexor tone. I tell them “relax, let the Saebo/spring do the work for you”. By contracting the flexor muscles against the springs, in a stretch position, the flexor tone actually decreases. It applies the contract-relax/PNF stretching principle. I have used the SaeboGlove and the SaeboFlex with patients following CVA, TBI, and spinal cord injuries. My practice and my clients have benefitted tremendously from these highly effective tools.
