Why do we need a good grip? I guess the answer is obvious. Humans use their hands in a multitude of ways. From waving hello and goodbye, to pointing directions, or using sign language, our hands are an integral part of communication in all cultures. Of course, we must grip, lift, hold, and manipulate objects in our daily lives. Unfortunately, the muscles and nervous system that powers these movements can become weak or immobile due to age, illness, or injury. For older individuals, researchers have suggested that grip strength is a “useful indicator for overall health,” and as a biomarker of health status, it may be a better indicator of life expectancy than blood pressure.

At Anatomical Concepts, we often work closely with clients who have neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries, stroke, MS, cerebral palsy and more. The full list of conditions that can potentially benefit from help is shown below. These individuals may have grip problems and seek in the best case to either recover function via therapeutic exercises or use assistive technology to compensate for lost grip function.

In this article we review Carbonhand from Bioservo Technologies which allows many users to regain the power and the sensitivity of their grip

In the first article in this series, we described how the lifespan of our general population increased on average as we moved through the first half of the 20th century. This was largely due to improved public health measures and the arrival of antibiotics. At present, we no longer see lifespan increasing and what is worse, many of us spend the last years of life in poor health and subject to chronic conditions that are associated with ageing. These conditions are:-

Heart disease

Cancer

Neurodegenerative disease

Type 2 diabetes and related metabolic dysfunction

These conditions are highly correlated with age and approximately 80% of the population will succumb to them. To some extent, they may have common causes that we would need to dig deep to uncover. In particular, metabolic dysfunction seems to be a precursor to all these other diseases.

In this article, we'll explore the benefits of choosing a genuine PRAFO AFO for your foot and ankle support needs, and why it's the best choice for those seeking the highest level of effectiveness.

Orthotists often confront situations that require quick and confident action and an off-the-shelf solution to common heel, foot and ankle issues. It might be for heel pressure ulcer prevention or treatment with a vulnerable patient - perhaps following a hip fracture, with diabetic foot disease or post-stroke.

With so many different product options on the market, it can be overwhelming trying to determine which one is best for you. However, if you're looking for a high-quality ankle foot orthosis (AFO) that instantly provides the ultimate heel and foot protection and support whether the patient is ambulant or recumbent, you can't go wrong with a genuine PRAFO ankle foot orthosis (AFO). But what do we mean by a genuine PRAFO? Well, there is only one source of these.

PRAFO AFOs have been designed by experienced orthotists since 1990 to fit the clinical and biomechanical requirements of practising orthotists; providing unmatched protection and stability to the foot and ankle complex. PRAFO AFOs are a reliable option giving many of the benefits of a custom solution with off-the-shelf products.

Welcome to the first of a series of articles that will tackle the topic of improving life expectancy after a spinal cord injury. The goal of these articles is to provide valuable information on how to not just live longer, but healthier. We all want to age "gracefully", and that's why we need to start thinking about healthspan rather than just lifespan. Research suggests that the life expectancy of persons following a traumatic spinal cord injury has been improving since the 1950's but remains shorter compared with the general population. We will discuss why the length of life is not the only thing that counts.

In this first article, we will discuss the importance of healthspan and what we can do to achieve it. Living longer is great, but what's even better is having the physical ability to perform daily activities and participate fully in the life we want. Subsequent articles will delve into how spinal cord injuries affect lifespan and provide insights on creating a plan to live healthier.

So, let's take charge of our health and work towards enjoying a fulfilling life. Let's start by looking at the population at large and introduce the concepts of lifespan and "healthspan" and see why we don't want to have a long life unless it is also a healthy life.

When it comes to treating (or ideally) protecting against heel pressure ulcers, choosing the right product is essential. Every day, thousands of patients around the world are put at risk when using inadequate wound care products that fail to prevent and reduce their chances of developing skin breakdown due to prolonged tissue compression.

This is why investing in a well-researched heel protector that offers consistent protection is critical for orthotists, physiotherapists, doctors and patients alike. The PRAFO ankle foot orthosis range of heel protectors stands out as the top option on the market thanks to their impressive and often unique design features – this blog post will explore how they work and how these designs can support clinicians in preventing further tissue damage and keeping patients ambulant.

A spinal cord injury is a life-altering event that can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. It can occur due to a wide variety of reasons, such as accidents, falls, sports injuries, or medical conditions.

The severity of a spinal cord injury varies greatly and each person, even with what can seem to be similar injuries, can have different symptoms and functional outcomes. As part of the clinical approach to understanding and managing such injuries, a system of classification has been developed.

When people are injured, they are often told that they have damage to specific bony vertebrae and the cord itself at a given level, along with a further qualifier suggesting the severity of the injury, typically as a ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’ injury. But what do these terms mean, and what is their significance?

So, let's dive in and discover what you need to know about complete vs. incomplete spinal cord injury and its effects on the nervous system.