| The Avera
McKennan PM&R department and Dr. Thomas Ripperda, working with
the Avera Research Institute, were awarded a grant from the
South Dakota Spinal Cord / Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Council. The $24,000 grant will provide funding to purchase
special partial weight-bearing equipment to evaluate an
innovative approach to the rehabilitation of patients with
traumatic brain injuries. Partial
weight-supported treadmill training employs the use of a harness
to assist in removing weight-bearing and weight-shifting from
both lower extremities so that abnormal compensatory movements
are avoided and normal movements can be facilitated.
This training has been shown to be
beneficial for improving ambulation in hemiparetic subjects
after stroke; however, partial weight-supported training has not
been adequately in traumatic brain injury subjects. This will be
the first of many future studies in the area of TBI.
|
L to R: Dr. Scott
Meyer, Avera Research Inst., Dr. Tom Ripperda, Avera Rehab
Assoc., Julie Benz, Avera McKennan PM&R, Deb Paauw, Avera
McKennan PM&R, Ryan Green, South Dakota Spinal Cord / Traumatic
Brain Injury Research Council
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