News

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PATIENTS IMPROVE BALANCE AND MOBILITY
WITH NEW EQUIPMENT AT the balance Center

Westlake, Ohio - Balance disorders are a serious health concern impacting a large percentage of the population. Individuals with balance problems often experience a frustrating cycle of physician referrals from one specialist to the next, mounting medical expenses, and no clear resolution of their problem. However, modern technology is offering new hope to these patients. The same technology used to measure equilibrium in NASA shuttle crews pre- and post-flight is now assisting clinicians in assessing and treating patients with balance-related problems at The Balance Center at SJMC. The Smart EquiTest® assessment and rehabilitation system installed July 16, 2010 and in service July 19, 2010 represents the most advanced balance and mobility assessment and treatment equipment available.

Patients at the Balance Center at SJMC with balance, mobility and/or dizziness problems are tested on the Smart Equitest® which consists of a highly sensitive forceplate connected to a computer. The forceplate measures the patient's center of gravity and weight-bearing symmetry as they perform various tasks designed to objectively assess functional ability.

Specific tests can isolate the different senses (vestibular, visual and somatosensory) that contribute to balance control and help identify the patient's balance problem. Other performance tests objectively measure the patient's ability to safely and e ciently perform mobility tasks that are common in daily life activities. The data provided by these computerized tests aid clinicians at the Balance Center at SJMC in developing the best treatment for each individual patient.

Patients at the clinic can also perform various exercises on the Smart Equitest® as part of their therapy. The system includes interactive technology with instant biofeedback, which is displayed on a computer screen to guide and prompt patients during rehabilitation.

The patient's movements are represented by an icon that follows exactly how a task is being performed. Targets may appear on the computer screen as the patient attempts to control their icon. The goal is to make the icon reach the targets, much like a video game. The clinician can design targets to encourage specific movements by the patient, thereby helping to build physical stability, endurance and confidence. Both the patient and the clinician can see the system's computer screen in real time as the patient shifts his or her center of gravity. Patients find the interactive nature of the system motivating as they can see immediately how they are performing.

The Smart Equitest® has specific applications to patients recovering from stroke, head injury, and orthopedic or sports injuries. These conditions can restrict freedom of movement and expose the individual to the dangers of falling.

The equipment is also helping aging patients with balance problems such as dizziness, unsteadiness and falls. According to several medical studies, one-third to one-half of the population age 65 and older fall each year and many of these individuals require costly hospital stays due to fractures or head injuries.

The Smart Equitest® is manufactured by NeuroCom® International, Inc. in Clackamas, Oregon. For more information on the Smart Equitest® other advances in balance assessment or rehabilitation, please contact Jane G. Keehan at the Balance Center at SJMC, (440) 414-6050.

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NEUROCOM: COMPUTERIZED DYNAMIC POSTUROGRAPHY

What is it? This is a series of tests that measure how well you are able to maintain your balance under different conditions.

You will be asked to stand as steadily as possible on a platform inside a small booth. The platform will have sensors that measure how well you maintain your balance as the walls of the booth move around you and the surface you are standing on moves under your feet. The tests will be conducted with your eyes open and with your eyes closed. You will be supported by a safety harness in case you become unsteady.

Some of the tests are designed to mimic different conditions you encounter in every day life. Other tests are designed to determine the source of your balance problem. The computerized tests are able to isolate the different sensory information you rely on to maintain your balance. The test results provide a better understanding of your balance problem and can point to possible causes. This allows your doctor to focus on the abnormal system.

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FREE BALANCE SCREENS

Where: SJMC Outpatient Physical Therapy Services
26908 Detroit Rd. Suite 300 Westlake, Ohio

When: The first and third Wednesday of every month

How Do I Schedule? Call 440-414-6050 for available times

Who Does The Screening? A licensed experienced Physical Therapist

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