I may have found a way to get my left arm and hand back. Interested? it might be able to help you too. Please read
Hello Everybody. if you don;t already know from my blpogs and profile info I am a atroke neurologist who is also a stroke survivor. I was 37 when I stroked last April. I still have a ways to go in my recovery. though, Im greatful to have regaiined much of my former independence. I still walk with an AFO and a cane and I have no real use of my left arm or hand but I may have found a way to get my arm back. I'm really excited about it because as many of you are; I'm pretty tired of living 1 handed in our 2 handed world. Anyway, I'm getting myself into a research project that's happening at the hospital where I work, University hospital of UMDNJ in Newark, NJ. The PM&R folks of UMDNJ have teamed up with these brilliant techno geeks at New Jersey Institute of Technology. They've designed research projects to enable them to better understand neuroplasticity and how it works in recovery after brain injuries like stroke. there are NO MEDICATIONS involved. they're using Virtual ReALITY (vr) TO TRICK THE BRAIN INTO THINKING THE AFFECTED LIMB ( FOR ME, IT'S LEFT) is working AND THAT EENABLES THE BRAIN TO RELEARN HOW TO USE THE AFFECTED LIMB. i'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND THE'RE USING THE SAME PRINCIPLE AS Dr.S. Ramachandran who first described mirror box therapy for treating learned paralysis. Learned paralysis is what happens after a person has been paralyzed for a long time. After many attempts the brain learns that it can no longer control the affected limb. Once it learns that it kind of stops trying to connect to it and recovery grinds to a halt. If you trick the brain into thinking its controling the limb it will begin again at trying to control it long term. Its the same theory behind mirror box therapy which has been shown to work. I'm currently waiting t hear back from the researchers so I can be evaluATED BY THE pt THAT'S WORKING WITH THE RESEARCHERS. tHE pt WILL DETERMINE WHAT LEVEL OF THE STUDY MIGHT BE BEST FOR ME. tHHEY'RE INITIALLY LOOKING FOR CHRONIC ( MEANING STROKE NOT WITHIN THE PAST 6 MONTHS) SURVIVORS BUT THEY'LL EVALUATE ALL COMERS. tHEY HAD A GUY WHO HADN'T USED HIS RIGHT SARM FOR 10YEARS THEN AFTER SPENDING 2 WEEKS DOING THE INTENSIVE vr RETRAINIG THE GUY ABSENTMINDEDLY REACHED FOR HIS REMOTE CONTROL WITH THE HAND HE HADN'T USED IN 10 YEARS! wELL, iM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ME MY ARM BACK ) i'LL TELL YOU WHAT i EXPERIENCECD WHEN i WEnT TO THEIR LABS. I t was painless and very cool.tHEY PUT A SPECIAL SENSORY GLOVE ON MY RIGHT HAND. tHEir FANCY CO MPUTER PROGRAMS TAKES POSITION INFORMATION FROM WHERE MY FINGERS ARE BASED ON INFO GENERATED BY THE GLOVE WHiCH IS ON MY RIGHT HAND. tHE COMPUTER DISPLAYS THE mirror image of my right hand on a screen. the mirror image of my right hand looks like my left hand so if I open my right,gloved hand and watch the screen; I see what looks like my left hand opening. I would do excercises with my right hand all the while my brain is getting the sensory experience that my left hand is moving. The NJIT folks have designed video games and robotics to assist. I put my left arm into this robotic arm and I ppayed a video game, while wearing 3-D glasses I had to make these blinking balls intersect and explode. The robotic arm would feel if I tried to lift my arm and it would assist my in extending my left arm as thats still hard for me. I even played a few keystrokes of virtual piano wityh my left hand! It was amazing but I was able to flex my fingers individually to strike the keys. I can't wait to be evaluated and formally admitted into the study.They're in open enrollment now. They will take people with all ranges of difficulty in their arm or hand. I even have spasticity and it is not easy to open my hand because of my high tone but there's a research track with excercises that will still beappropriate for me so Im going for it. I just wanted to share what I think ids a great opportunity for enhancing our recovery. Time committment is 5 days per week/ three hours a day on our camous and this schedule of training o ther machines sad in the VR environment goes on for 2 weeks. So If you can get to Newark and would like to get involved please comment and I wiillpass along contact info for the researchers and teir PT so an eval can be arranged. I think this could be the future of OT with regard to stroke rehab. an it was really exciting to play a few key strokes even on a virtual piano. you can look up mirror box therapy if you'd like to learn more about the theory and principle to their work. As always, all my best hopes, wishes and prayers for your continued recovery and peace and patience for the meantime
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