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Muscle & Nerve Jul 2014Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that results in a constellation of problematic symptoms and a high patient and caregiver burden.... (Review)
Review
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that results in a constellation of problematic symptoms and a high patient and caregiver burden. Multidisciplinary care includes rehabilitation interventions that have the goal of assisting people to teach their fullest potential despite the presence of a disabling disease. Given the progressive nature of ALS, the clinician must be aware of the expected disease trajectory and apply appropriate interventions at each stage. This review will present rehabilitation strategies that can be utilized to maximize patient independence, function, safety, and quality of life, and to minimize disease-related symptoms. The role of bracing, exercise, assistive devices, and adaptive equipment will be discussed. At each disease stage, an experienced rehabilitation team is well positioned to make a significant impact on the life of ALS patients.
Topics: Accidental Falls; Activities of Daily Living; Adult; Aged; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Caregivers; Disease Progression; Exercise Therapy; Female; Hand; Humans; Lower Extremity; Male; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Orthotic Devices; Patient Care Team; Self-Help Devices; Tracheostomy; Walking; Wheelchairs
PubMed: 24510737
DOI: 10.1002/mus.24202 -
American Family Physician Jun 2021Many individuals need a mobility assistive device as they age. These devices include canes, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs. Clinicians should understand how to... (Review)
Review
Many individuals need a mobility assistive device as they age. These devices include canes, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs. Clinicians should understand how to select the appropriate device and size for individual patients (or work with a physical therapist) and prescribe the device using the patient's health insurance plan. Canes can improve standing tolerance and gait by off-loading a weak or painful limb; however, they are the least stable of all assistive devices, and patients must have sufficient balance, upper body strength, and dexterity to use them safely. Older adults rarely use crutches because of the amount of upper body strength that is needed. Walkers provide a large base of support for patients who have poor balance or who have bilateral lower limb weakness and thus cannot always bear full weight on their legs. A two-wheel rolling walker is more functional and easier to maneuver than a standard walker with no wheels. A four-wheel rolling walker (rollator) can be used by higher-functioning individuals who do not need to fully off-load a lower limb and who need rest breaks for cardiopulmonary endurance reasons, but this is the least stable type of walker. Wheelchairs should be considered for patients who lack the lower body strength, balance, or endurance for ambulation. Proper sizing and patient education are essential to avoid skin breakdown. To use manual wheelchairs, patients must have sufficient upper body strength and coordination. Power chairs may be considered for patients who cannot operate a manual wheelchair or if they need the features of a power wheelchair.
Topics: Aged; Canes; Crutches; Female; Humans; Male; Mobility Limitation; Self-Help Devices; Walkers
PubMed: 34128609
DOI: No ID Found -
American Family Physician Aug 2011Disability and mobility problems increase with age. Assistive devices such as canes, crutches, and walkers can be used to increase a patient's base of support, improve... (Review)
Review
Disability and mobility problems increase with age. Assistive devices such as canes, crutches, and walkers can be used to increase a patient's base of support, improve balance, and increase activity and independence, but they are not without significant musculoskeletal and metabolic demands. Most patients with assistive devices have never been instructed on the proper use and often have devices that are inappropriate, damaged, or are of the incorrect height. Selection of a suitable device depends on the patient's strength, endurance, balance, cognitive function, and environmental demands. Canes can help redistribute weight from a lower extremity that is weak or painful, improve stability by increasing the base of support, and provide tactile information about the ground to improve balance. Crutches are useful for patients who need to use their arms for weight bearing and propulsion and not just for balance. Walkers improve stability in those with lower extremity weakness or poor balance and facilitate improved mobility by increasing the patient's base of support and supporting the patient's weight. Walkers require greater attentional demands than canes and make using stairs difficult. The top of a cane or walker should be the same height as the wrist crease when the patient is standing upright with arms relaxed at his or her sides. A cane should be held contralateral to a weak or painful lower extremity and advanced simultaneously with the contralateral leg. Clinicians should routinely evaluate their patients' assistive devices to ensure proper height, fit, and maintenance, and also counsel patients on correct use of the device.
Topics: Aged; Canes; Crutches; Decision Support Techniques; Dependent Ambulation; Directive Counseling; Health Services for the Aged; Humans; Orthopedic Equipment; Self-Help Devices; Walkers
PubMed: 21842786
DOI: No ID Found -
Military Medical Research Jan 2018The prevalence of limb amputation is increasing globally as a devastating experience that can physically and psychologically affect the lifestyle of a person. The... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of limb amputation is increasing globally as a devastating experience that can physically and psychologically affect the lifestyle of a person. The residual limb pain and phantom limb pain are common disabling sequelae after amputation surgery. Assistive devices/technologies can be used to relieve pain in people with amputation. The existing assistive devices/technologies for pain management in people with amputation include electrical nerve block devices/technologies, TENS units, elastomeric pumps and catheters, residual limb covers, laser systems, myoelectric prostheses and virtual reality systems, etc. There is a great potential to design, fabricate, and manufacture some portable, wireless, smart, and thin devices/technologies to stimulate the spinal cord or peripheral nerves by electrical, thermal, mechanical, and pharmaceutical stimulus. Although some preliminary efforts have been done, more attention must be paid by researchers, clinicians, designers, engineers, and manufacturers to the post amputation pain and its treatment methods.
Topics: Amputation, Surgical; Extremities; Humans; Pain Management; Self-Help Devices
PubMed: 29502531
DOI: 10.1186/s40779-018-0151-z -
Journal of Manipulative and... Feb 2022The aim of this scoping review was to identify information on compliance with wearing orthoses and other supportive devices, to discuss the barriers to adherence, and to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this scoping review was to identify information on compliance with wearing orthoses and other supportive devices, to discuss the barriers to adherence, and to suggest strategies for improvement based on these findings.
METHODS
Online databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles about patients' compliance with regard to lower limb assistive devices. In addition, a methodological quality control process was conducted. Studies were included if in the English language and related to compliance and adherence to the lower limb assistive device. Exclusion was based on first reading the abstract and then the full manuscript confirming content was not related to orthotic devices and compliance.
RESULTS
Twelve studies were included. The data revealed between 6% and 80% of patients were not using a prescribed device. Barriers to the use of the orthotic device included medical, functional, device properties and lack of proper fit. Strategies for improved compliance included better communication between patient and clinician, patient education, and improved comfort and device esthetics.
CONCLUSIONS
Individualized orthotic adjustments, rehabilitation, and patient education were promising for increasing adherence. Despite positive aspects of improvements in gait, balance in elderly, and a sense of security produced by using assistive devices, compliance remains less than ideal due to barriers. As compliance in recent studies has not improved, continued work in this area is essential to realize the benefits of technological advances in orthotic and assistive devices.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Lower Extremity; Orthotic Devices; Patient Compliance; Self-Help Devices
PubMed: 35753880
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2022.04.003 -
BioMed Research International 2021
Topics: Humans; Nervous System Diseases; Self-Help Devices
PubMed: 33728341
DOI: 10.1155/2021/6846120 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Oct 1990
Topics: Adult; Child; Disabled Persons; Equipment Design; Household Articles; Humans; Self-Help Devices; Transportation; Transportation of Patients
PubMed: 2149288
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.301.6756.865 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2022According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world's population has some form of disability. Assistive Technology, in this context, contributes directly... (Review)
Review
According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world's population has some form of disability. Assistive Technology, in this context, contributes directly to the overcoming of difficulties encountered by people with disabilities in their daily lives, allowing them to receive education and become part of the labor market and society in a worthy manner. Assistive Technology has made great advances in its integration with Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) devices. AIoT processes and analyzes the large amount of data generated by Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applies Artificial Intelligence models, specifically, machine learning, to discover patterns for generating insights and assisting in decision making. Based on a systematic literature review, this article aims to identify the machine-learning models used across different research on Artificial Intelligence of Things applied to Assistive Technology. The survey of the topics approached in this article also highlights the context of such research, their application, the IoT devices used, and gaps and opportunities for further development. The survey results show that 50% of the analyzed research address visual impairment, and, for this reason, most of the topics cover issues related to computational vision. Portable devices, wearables, and smartphones constitute the majority of IoT devices. Deep neural networks represent 81% of the machine-learning models applied in the reviewed research.
Topics: Humans; Artificial Intelligence; Internet of Things; Self-Help Devices; Machine Learning; Disabled Persons; Technology
PubMed: 36366227
DOI: 10.3390/s22218531 -
Cognitive Research: Principles and... Aug 2020Sensory substitution techniques are perceptual and cognitive phenomena used to represent one sensory form with an alternative. Current applications of sensory... (Review)
Review
Sensory substitution techniques are perceptual and cognitive phenomena used to represent one sensory form with an alternative. Current applications of sensory substitution techniques are typically focused on the development of assistive technologies whereby visually impaired users can acquire visual information via auditory and tactile cross-modal feedback. But despite their evident success in scientific research and furthering theory development in cognition, sensory substitution techniques have not yet gained widespread adoption within sensory-impaired populations. Here we argue that shifting the focus from assistive to mainstream applications may resolve some of the current issues regarding the use of sensory substitution devices to improve outcomes for those with disabilities. This article provides a tutorial guide on how to use research into multisensory processing and sensory substitution techniques from the cognitive sciences to design new inclusive cross-modal displays. A greater focus on developing inclusive mainstream applications could lead to innovative technologies that could be enjoyed by every person.
Topics: Association; Auditory Perception; Humans; Self-Help Devices; Sensory Aids; Touch Perception; Visual Perception
PubMed: 32770416
DOI: 10.1186/s41235-020-00240-7 -
Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und... Nov 2020
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Humans; Robotics; Self-Help Devices
PubMed: 33084966
DOI: 10.1007/s00391-020-01790-7