Pressure ulcers have been a serious healthcare issue for many decades. In fact, today, the NHS spends some £1.4m per day in dealing with them and of course this does not sum up the total economic and emotional cost. Pressure ulcers are often thought of as preventable and even a “failure of care” but they are a result of many factors both mechanical and medical and this complexity is perhaps the reason why we so often see them.
The PRAFO range of ankle foot orthoses have evolved to be popular and effective devices for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers at the heel area of vulnerable individuals.

Skeletal muscle denervation is caused by damage or injury to the nerves that supply a muscle. This can occur as a result of a number of different conditions, including trauma to the spine or a peripheral nerve. Denervation can also result from infection, inflammation, and certain medical procedures. In some cases, denervated skeletal muscle may be caused by diseases that affect the nerves, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Guillain-Barré syndrome. Denervation can also occur as a complication of surgery, such as when a nerve is accidentally damaged during an operation.

Muscles can recover from denervation, despite the loss of nerve supply to a muscle. Sometimes this recovery happens with little intervention necessary. At Anatomical Concepts we are typically working with individuals where some intervention is indicated.

When thinking about this article I happened to be playing with a new AI (artificial intelligence), natural language, tool. There is a lot of buzz around AI (at the moment and it’s application to many sectors including healthcare. So I thought I would ask it a question - “What is neuroplasticity?”. The following is the answer I got - which I think is pretty impressive.

Company director Derek Jones has a few years (actually decades) of experience working face to face with people following a spinal cord injury. His new book is aimed at newly injured persons and titled “Dont Back Down: Your guide to living well with a spinal cord injury”. It’s now available on Amazon as a paperback and Kindle book.
The content is a broad ranging and empowering guide to getting life back on track after a spinal cord injury.

FES Cycling with the RehaMove system is a foundation in Claire’s routine. In this short video she describes how she discovered FES Cycling, why she felt it was important to continue to exercise the parts that were paralysed as well as the parts that weren’t, and the benefits she has seen from doing so.

When you have lower limb limb paralysis or weakness it is understandable to feel nervous when a product aims to stand you up. Understanding how the Tek RMD supports the user in standing or whilst moving up and down despite paralysis can act as reassurance and eliminate anxiety.