Team NeuroHope recently spent a three-day weekend training at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville, Kentucky with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network (NRN). As a proud member of the NRN, we sometimes use Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) at NeuroHope – many channels of electrodes placed over the skin to activate the muscular and the nervous system. NMES, as well as epidural stimulation (implanted on the spinal cord) and transcutaneous stimulation (electrodes over the nerve roots) are all part of research studies being performed at Frazier through the University of Louisville.
We are thankful to learn from some of the brightest minds in neuroresearch and to bring this therapy to Indianapolis so people recovering from spinal cord injuries have a chance at affordable, continued care!
https://www.neurohopewellness.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NeuroHope-at-Frazier-Rehabilitation-Institute.jpg640588Chris Leeuw/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NeuroHope_Color.svgChris Leeuw2021-11-21 12:19:272022-09-26 16:27:28NeuroHope Trains at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute
The NeuroRecovery Network (NRN) held its annual summit at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville, Kentucky last week. NeuroHope is laying the groundwork to join the network later this year, and our staff was invited to attend and learn about the innovative therapy interventions that are being researched and implemented at NRN sites across the country and overseas.
The inspiration to begin this unique network of sites began through the work of Dr. Susan Harkema and Dr. Andrea Behrman, whose research led to a better understanding of neuroplasticity, which is the ability of nerve cells in the central nervous system to develop new connections and learn new functions. Their work provided new evidence about the role the spinal cord plays in stepping, standing, and interpreting sensory information to re-learn tasks.
The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF) helped fund the original research, and in the years since, the Foundation has been devoted to translating results to the clinic to help patients recovering from and living with spinal cord injury.
The NRN revolves around providing Activity-based therapy, a specific technique that activates the nervous system below the injury level and focuses on strengthening muscle weakness and neurologic recovery. In addition to specific manual techniques, a principle Activity-based intervention is Locomotor Training. Locomotor Training allows injured individuals to repetitively practice standing and stepping using body weight support. In a therapy session, the participant is suspended in a harness over a treadmill at a high speed while specially trained therapists move the legs and ankles using specific sensory cues to simulate walking. As the person gains function, improvements in sitting, standing, core strength, circulation, and bone-density may occur.
Dr. Harkema is also a pioneer in implementing epidural stimulation in her work, which made global headlines in 2011 and 2014 for restoring movement in four spinal cord injured individuals. Since then, the NRN has incorporated new methods of NeuroMuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) at their sites to target upper extremity function, increase movement, and improve neuroplasticity. NMES uses parameters beyond typical electrical stimulation to excite the central nervous system and activate weakened muscles.
Drs. Harkema and Behrman delivered lectures at this year’s summit and worked with NRN staff members from sites around the country as they practiced evaluation and activity-based therapy techniques.
We were honored to be invited to the summit and learn from some of the best minds in the world of neuroscience. NeuroHope will soon be one of just 13 sites in the world where these innovative techniques are available.
Learn more about the NRN below:
https://www.neurohopewellness.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/reeve.jpg350960Chris Leeuw/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NeuroHope_Color.svgChris Leeuw2017-05-21 19:02:102017-05-21 19:13:35NeuroHope at the NeuroRecovery Network Summit
It is official! Fundraising for NeuroHope has begun!
We unveiled our promotional video and launched our capital campaign yesterday with great results: $3,000 of our initial $125,000 was raised on Day 1. Thanks to all who showed support right out of the gate. Early momentum is critically important in crowdfunding.
We have a long way to go. Let's get this going and spread the word! Please copy and paste the crowdfunding link in your Facebook status updates, tweets, LinkedIn feeds, and email everyone you know!
I'm extremely proud of the way the video turned out. This was 10 months in the making. Frazier Rehabilitation Institute in Louisville was kind enough to let us take cameras into their facility to show Locomotor Training, FES access, individual workouts and more. Soon, we will have the same tools in Indianapolis.
A special thanks goes to Dr. Susan Harkema of the Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network for taking the time to chat during our visit, and the awesome traniers and clients that were willing to be featured in the video. Additionally, a HUGE thank-you to Invention Pictures in Indianapolis, and the outstanding post-production work of my good friends Mike Sparks and Jeremy Weinstein.
Watch the video and learn about our crowdfunding campaign below.
https://www.neurohopewellness.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/LT-a-fn.jpg17461200Chris Leeuw/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/NeuroHope_Color.svgChris Leeuw2014-08-06 17:36:192014-08-06 17:44:18Crowdfunding and Video now Live!
