Innovative Products for Stroke Recovery

Stroke remains one of the most pressing concerns in communities around the world. The medical condition is caused when an artery is clogged or bursts due to the deposit of fatty tissues or plaque. Stroke compromises the direct blood supply to the brain, leading to impeded bodily functions and potentially fatal cases.

Recent statistics have shown a marked rise of reported cases in younger people between the ages of 30-40. This worrying trend has been attributed to modern lifestyle choices and unhealthy diets among possible factors.

Stroke recovery addresses three major concerns: the wellness, medical condition and performance of an individual. Each factor brings about great inconvenience to the life of the sufferer, which may lead to feelings of depression and hopelessness.

As stroke treatment becomes relevant now more than ever, it is important for sufferers, caregivers and medical practitioners to look beyond conventional rehabilitation devices in speeding up the recovery process. The innovative products in this article will fulfill the various needs of stroke patients and offer additional support to existing rehabilitation efforts.

OPTIMIZING MOBILITY POST-STROKE

Stroke damages the major nervous pathways within the body, which restricts or impedes mobility in patients. Therefore, it is necessary for sufferers to find the ideal assisted mobility device to help them through the rehabilitative process and in managing daily functions. These may come in the form of traditional canes and walkers that guide and support movement, or devices that improve mobility through comfort and coordination.

The Smovey is a dynamic device that stimulates the Qi within the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Qi is believed to be the natural vital energy responsible for the wellness of an individual. Thus, it is believed that illnesses and debilitating conditions such as stroke can severely obstruct the flow of Qi within the body, leading to malaise and health complications.

The Smovey device consists of rings that contain four metallic balls. When users swing the rings, positive vibrations are released by the balls within the device, which resonate through the prime meridians (vital points) of the upper body to stimulate the flow of Qi.

Aside from stroke patients, the device is also favored among the elderly and athletes as it helps in the training of muscle coordination and movement.

Traditional insoles are added to footwear for comfort through cushioning and support. The revolutionary design of Naboso Technology Insoles takes comfort many steps further. The insoles were specially developed by movement specialist Dr Emily Splichal to mimic the natural soles of feet. 

Naboso insoles feature a unique design that stimulates the plantar proprioceptors (skin at the sole), which are responsible for the stability and balance of a person when walking and standing. Stroke patients often suffer poor muscle coordination due to blockages to their nerve pathways, which compromises locomotion.

With Naboso insoles, stroke patients will be able to feel the bottom of their feet again and improve the effectiveness of their mobility.  

Balance boards are used by athletes and physiotherapists in rehabilitation processes. The device trains the core muscles and posture of stroke patients by strengthening balance and proprioception sensations.

Additionally, balance boards can help improve the reaction of stroke patients through gradually stimulating the nervous connections related to balance and locomotion.

Users stand on a board attached to a rounded bottom and balance their weight by keeping their arms out in front of them. These devices may be used with standing desks and rails for additional support.  

However, it is important for recent stroke sufferers to exercise caution or seek supervision when using balance boards, to avoid slipping.

Optimizing Speech Post-Stroke

Aphasia is a type of speech impediment that usually affects stroke patients as a result of brain damage. Aphasia causes difficulty in enunciating or remembering familiar words. Patients suffering from the condition are still capable of expressing themselves through fragmented speech, through the support from specialized devices. The rate of recovery for aphasia is highly varied among sufferers. Choosing the right speech rehabilitation method can make a huge difference in the recovery process.  

Speech impediments make it challenging for sufferers to communicate effectively with their caregivers and loved ones, which can be a highly distressing experience that puts a strain on relationships. Fortunately, there are advanced technological devices that amplify and facilitate communication throughout the recovery process.

These specialized communication devices are alternatives to tablets for stroke sufferers. The icon-based software contains a built-in language support system that assists sufferers with forming sentences right from the foundation. The devices feature a library of over 4,000 icons and over 9,000 key words. The icons and phrases are combined for the easiest way in delivering a message.

Patients can easily enlarge icons for easy viewing and reading without fuss. Additionally, the device varies in size and is lightweight for portability purposes. This allows patients to conveniently communicate with their caregivers and loved ones or carry it along for their speech therapy sessions.   

The device also contains a built-in camera, email accessibility and even a stream of news to keep patients informed of the latest happenings in the world. The Linguaphica device will make the journey between home care speech rehabilitation and societal reintegration a seamless process.

Tactus Therapy Application

The experts from Tactus Therapy have come up with a transformational application that offers a comprehensive approach to the speech rehabilitation of stroke patients. The application is compatible with smartphones and tablets and focuses on 4 pillars of communication: comprehension, naming, reading and writing.

Comprehension is the first level of therapy, where users are tested on their reading and hearing capacities. The curriculum covers common nouns, verbs and other grammar components applied in everyday conversation. The level of difficulty for the application is easy to adjust, and the system records the achievements of users so they may conveniently monitor their progress throughout the therapy.

Subsequently, users are introduced to more advanced learning therapies such as naming, reading and writing, so they may fully reacquire the communication skills in their lives.  

One of the best things about the therapy is that there is no need to purchase any hardware since the application can be installed on any handheld device. Additionally, there are many practical tutorial videos that can help users and carers make the best out of their Tactus experience.

Memocorby Solution

Memocorby offers therapy in the form of interactive memory cubes and speech re-learning applications. The combination of multi-sensory Memocorby tools encourages stroke patients to practice feeling (haptic learning), visualizing and hearing during their rehabilitation.

Each set of tools may be used through the guidance of a professional therapist or independently by patients in the comfort of their homes.   

The Memocorby team believes in making rehabilitation a fun and enjoyable process as patients are empowered to restore their normal lives.

Optimizing Daily Living Post-Stroke

As stroke reduces the mobility of patients, daily routines such as showering, and dressing may get disrupted. With advanced grooming aids, recovering patients will be assisted in effectively maintaining their appearance with independence and confidence.

Shower Bay is a portable showering device for stroke patients with limited mobility. Shower head connections are easily screwed onto bathroom faucets for immediate water supply. The system can be set up in minutes, without the need for costly and time-consuming bathroom remodeling.

The portable shower has a roll-in ramp entry, which accommodates wheelchair use. Additionally, sturdy sliding doors provide users with the same privacy found in conventional showers. The system allows stroke patients to stay safe while in the presence of their loved ones during rehabilitation.

Toilet Assistance
Aside from common bathroom modifications such as elevated toilet seats and installed handrails, it is also essential for caregivers to provide a safe and secure transition for stroke patients when using the toilet.

There are various techniques that caregivers can employ to safely transfer a patient through different positions. Ambulatory devices such as the Rifton Tram can assist sufferers with toilet accessibility. The revolutionary machine helps to align the posture of the user to provide reinforced back support during seat to seat transfers.

Dressing Aids

Stroke makes it harder for individuals to stretch and bend during the dressing up process. Therefore, it is often necessary for sufferers to implement aids to cope with the needs of independent dressing. These aids are designed for specific functions such as fastening buttons and the putting on of clothing items such as socks, pants and bras.

Stroke is a debilitating condition that can severely harm the quality of life. However, through the support of innovative technology and the contributions of dedicated caregivers, patients can receive the ideal rehabilitation treatment to spur them toward speedier recovery.

Learn more about how Naboso Technology can make a difference in the stroke recovery process.