NeuroCom Machine

    • Anonymous
      December 20, 2006 at 1:24 pm

      Hey all, my rehab clinic just got a new machine called the NeuroCom and they want to run me through the test cycle. I hear that they also use them not only for evaluating but helping people regain muscle balance as well. I went into the room to see the unit that they have and they actually have a couple of them, I would go into the one that is like a tall box around me and has straps to hold me up so I dont fall.

      Sounds pretty cool cause they can gauge which muscles groups are working more than others and helps them to identify pretty accuratly I guess so they can see if say one leg is working more than the others in the hip where the other one is working more in the hamstring etc.

      Anyone else use one of these machines at their rehab?

    • Anonymous
      December 20, 2006 at 2:25 pm

      Hi,

      Get on that machine and get as much out of it, and out the therpists, you can. Sounds like a neat thing that could have benifits in establishing the amount of fatigue one has. Get on fresh, take measurments from head to toe, then work out to where you feel you can do no more, and re-measure. Maybe on it in the AM, then late PM or something. You have a great oppertunity to pass on information on a possable new therapy tool. Keep the therapists thinking.
      I’ve said years ago that the medical field knows that 200 muscles are involved in walking. What I asked was how many does it take “to” walk? Nobody had an answer. This machine may help in that area too, as I’ve been walking with quite a bit less muscles for years now in my legs. Have some fun with it too. Thanks for sharing this.

    • Anonymous
      December 20, 2006 at 3:45 pm

      In case anyone is interested in see this machine or asking about this at their rehab, the machines that they have at mine are:

      SMART EQUITEST
      [url]http://www.onbalance.com/neurocom/products/SMARTEquiTest.aspx[/url]

      with the optional

      BALANCE MASTER
      [url]http://www.onbalance.com/neurocom/products/BalanceMaster.aspx[/url]

      I think the plan is to do a full test on Friday afternoon so we will see if it happens as scheduled and how it goes.

    • Anonymous
      December 20, 2006 at 7:17 pm

      It sound like your volunteering to be zapped with voltage to determine what works. Let us know the pain level.
      Gene GBS-09/16/06

    • Anonymous
      December 20, 2006 at 11:46 pm

      I have never heard of any kind of machine like this. Will they be zapping you like an EMG? I guess I already know myself what is working & what isn’t, as well as which of my legs is stronger (to go up stairs), & which hand & arm is stronger. I will not let anyone use me as a guinea pig anymore, had enough of that after 3 months at Mayo back in 2002.
      BTW I lived in St. Cloud for 3 years during college (husband also) & now live about 3 hours north of you in Virginia, MN. We are just hanging on to a few inches of snow in our yard, but with the temps in the upper 30s, it might not last until Christmas.
      Pam

    • Anonymous
      December 26, 2006 at 2:31 pm

      This machine does not zap me in anyway, there are footplates that are sensitive and have several pressure points so based on how the plates move and how I respond it can tell them which muscle groups are working better than others. IMHO this could be a valuable tool in treatment for neuro and other conditions because it gives more detailed information on exactly what is happening that a person could not possibly be aware of.

      I used to exercise 4 days a week pre-GBS and I am very familiar with all the various muscle groups, post workout recovery. How carbs, protein, fats, etc all affect your body… how glycogen stores are used, etc. But no person could tell what percentage of your body is working and what percentage is not. I can tell that when I try walking that I feel weak in certain points, but something like say the weakness in the knees could be attributed to the quads not bearing enough weight or your calves not bearing enough weight. There is a lot more going on in a body then an individual can tell for themselves and this machine can give therapists that edge to detect excactly where they need to work harder.

      Also there are things like games on this machine that you play by leaning in a certain direction… such as solitare and this teaches balance. If my left leg is weaker than my right leg, then doing the leg press and walking my continue to build strength in both legs but I might be bearing more weight on one than the other and neglecting the necessary muscles from the excercise they need.

      I am not going to be a guinea-pig as this is a new machine that they purchased and have used for others such as hip replacement and since I am still in rehab 3x a week 4 months post GBS they thought I would be a good candidate since i still need work in all areas such as gaite, strength, endurance, etc.

      I spent about a month at Mayo this year and had awsome care. I was not treated like a guinea pig while I was there and couldnt have asked for better treatment. I started at the St Cloud hospital but after a week of IVIG and getting worse I was sent down to Mayo. Both hospitals gave me awsome care and I have no complaints about either one.

    • Anonymous
      December 26, 2006 at 3:24 pm

      Doby48 Thank you for mentioning this machine on the boards. I went thru lots of rehab in the last year and had all kinds of things done to test strenght. Anything from squeezing their fingers to pushing them away with my arms and pulling them toward me with both legs and arms. They also had these tools that they used to measure my grip in my hands which showed continual strenght in my grip. What it failed to show was sideways movement strenght in all the fingers. Also unless I questioned or complained I did not get work done on any of the tiny muscles in my hand and wrists. Just living daily as I got stronger would show me where I still had weaknesses. For example: When getting change at a drive up window either at the pharmacy, fast food or the banks, I had a hard time turning my left hand over to accept change from someone that was beside me instead of infront of me! I had the typical one strong leg and arm but they are normally on the same side of the body. Mine were on opposite sides which threw the rehab people completely off from their text book workouts. It will be interesting to see what they find from these machines you mentioned and if you agree with them after the results. I am like you I still after all this rehab have trouble with steps. Here at home I have not got the long full flight of steps in the house. Or anywhere outdoors. I have just a few steps 7 or 8 and then a landing where I can rest. I no longer need to rest as much but doing a full flight of steps at someones home kept me from being with family over the holidays. I can not go to the mall and play on their staircase yet. Fear of heights does not help. I am working with the walking in place tape, the step aerobics tape and adding the step master to my routine at the fitness center. Ofcourse, not at once but I am meeting every challenge with courage to make me stronger. Right now I am doing a little bit more to strenghten my back and abs to assist my breathing and stamina…to get this old body back where it was. Able to take the stairs rather than the elevator! to keep eliminating the stores that I have to use the electric shopping carts to assist me while shopping!

      Keep up the great work and maybe we should start an exercise board for the new year! I will start working on that. I know we also have a few fitness people that come here too that can offer great ideas!

    • Anonymous
      January 26, 2007 at 8:01 pm

      I am new to the boards and I am currently being diagnosed for probable CIDP. I saw the neurologist here in California and they are doing a lumbar puncture and emg,ncv test next week. In the meantime, a pt met with me, wrote me a scrip for diagnosis and treatment. I went to the onbalance.com website and low and behold there were several in California and two close to my home. Thank you so much as I need to watch my pennys for probable IVig and don’t want to go to a pt who is unfamiliar with PN or CIDP. I was very impressed with the site.;)
      Thank you,
      Taryn

    • Anonymous
      January 27, 2007 at 12:07 am

      Doby 48
      When I was first diagnosed with GBS in 1999,I had severe balance problems! I had to have 6 months of rehab,and the Balance Master was key to my re-
      covery.I can not say enough good things about the machine!!!I was tested on
      the machine and my Physical Therapist used the results to create my own
      program.With it she could shift the plates I stood on,and I had to learn to dis-
      tribute my weight to maintain balance.There is a screen in front of you and you have a little man that you have to keep in a box by leaning more to the left ,right.or forwards and backwards.As you get more balance the walls can be moved too.I started off with the harness,because I fell so much.In 6 months time I was able to go back to work as a cook in a very busy restau-
      rant.I did relapse several years later,but that’s another story.The machine is
      GREAT!!!!

    • Anonymous
      January 27, 2007 at 9:09 am

      I was tested on it about a month ago and have done some balance practice on the different parts of the machines since. It is a pretty cool setup there because it really does seem to tell a lot about how the balance is being distributed. Doing tests of trying to move a guy from one box to another is surprising how much of a scribble on the screen that I make and even though I feel I can shift somewhat, thats not what the machine says. I dont go as straight as I feel. My PT goes over the tests with me and shows where I have improved and where I need to work and things I can do at home to help in those areas so so far it seems to be a really good tool for patients, expecially those with balance issues such as GBS/CIDP patients. From what the therapists tell me it really doesnt tell them anything “new” that they didnt know about me but it is a really good tool from people with really slow progress such as mine since its hard to tell week to week improvement, this machine is so precise that it can show that minor improvement sooner that you can see it and at the same time is also helping to retrain the body to help with the balance.