paraplegia

[ramywhite]

Hi muhana85d,
I don't recommend electrical stimulation for spastic paraplegia. It is better if you concentrate in exercises like mat exercises and standing. T12 level injury has many problems in equilibrium, sitting, transferring. Examine him carefully and wright down his problems and then treat each one. Help him to sit alone and use wheelchair and learn him how to roll to each side and how to transfer from mat to chair and all his ADLs. Examine him and ask him what are his main problems.
And we are here for any further help.

[Oonagh]

Hi there,
You don't say how long your patient is post injury or if he has any return of voluntary muscle power. Re: electrical stimulation I have found it to be quite useful in tone reduction. Two approaches can be used - either treating agonist/antagonist at 35Hz(alternating) or 10Hz on spastic muscle and 40Hz on antagonist. I would use the latter if he has some degree of return even if masked by the spasticity. Also I would use a lot of Bobath techniques. Addressing the trunk with a lot of rotational and contrarotational mobilizations is also very useful for trunk reduction. Good luck. Oonagh

[charlize29]

Hi Muhana,

FES ( Functional Electrical Stimilation) is useful for paraplegic patients in biped gait. However, it cannot be used for VERY SEVERE SPASTICITY. Here's the link of an article which I think would be able to give you an idea on "Gait Restoration in paraplegic patients using Mutichannel Surface Electrodes FES.

http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jou.../pdf/kralj.pdf

Goodluck!!!

Regards,
Charlize29