Hippotherapy takes this idea a step further, by using horses as part of a physical, occupational or speech and language therapy treatment strategy utilizing equine movement. Research conducted by the American Hippotherapy Association has proven that the multidimensional movements of the horse provide a disabled rider with “the opportunity to explore, control and coordinate posture and movement”. Horseback riding, as part of horse therapy, gently and rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to the way a human walks. Learning to ride a horse requires both balance and coordination, and because many physically disabled individuals lack muscle tone, their coordination is severely lacking. Horse therapy gives a disabled person a physically enjoyable experience; helps develop muscle tone, balance and coordination.

Alternatively, animal assisted therapy is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning and is delivered by a health professional with specialized expertise. One study, conducted in 2009, concluded that adults who use animal assisted therapy while recovering from total joint-replacement surgery required 50 percent less pain medication than those who did not.* An example would be a woman with a stroke, who has difficulty standing or walking for long periods of time. To encourage her to stand for longer, a dog is put up on a table and she is willing to stand longer to pet the dog. She challenges herself to walk longer distances to walk the dog.

Children are especially likely to respond well to animal assisted therapy. In animal assisted therapy, a child will feed, pet, and clean the animal, which encourages movement and gives a child a sense of empowerment. It allows the child to decide when and what to feed the animal, when to clean it, and how to make the animal trust him or her. Additionally, the child must control emotions such as anger and frustration in order to get the animal to cooperate, and this control transfers to outside activities.

Therapy dog handler Deborah Nozawa says that the healing benefits she has witnessed derived from animal assisted therapy is “miraculous.” A therapy dog named Cassie worked with a visually impaired child that also had other physical and emotional disabilities. The child started out curled up on a beanbag chair, and Cassie approached her and gently nudged her arm with her nose. The therapy dog then pushed her muzzle under the child’s clenched hand and licked her. Before long, the child opened her hand and relaxed it. Then Cassie laid down next to the little girl, and the child relaxed her hands even more and was able to pet the dog. Soon the child was even smiling.

Animal assisted therapy such as a therapy dog or horse therapy are just some of many different strategies that health care providers can use to promote patient compliance and improve traditional therapy results. Interestingly, horse therapy is opening other doors for the physically and mentally handicapped. The Special Olympics now includes equestrian competitions at both the national and international levels and the Paralympic Summer Games includes equestrian categories.

To learn more, visit the American Hippotherapy Association or Equine Therapy.com.

*For more information: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116131824.htm

North Coast will be exhibiting at the American Physical Therapy Association’s Private Practice Sessions. PPS is the business section of APTA that focuses on the growth, economic viability, and business success of physical therapists, and North Coast wants to help foster that growth.

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) provides state-of-the-art continuing medical education in the field of hand and upper extremity surgery. North Coast Medical will meet and engage with the attending thought leaders.

North Coast Medical will be attending the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center’s bi-annual conference geared toward occupational therapists, physical therapists, physicians and nurses with a special interest in hand rehabilitation.

Orthosis  vs. Splint

What was known within the industry as a splint, brace, wrap or support is now defined by CMS as an orthotic device or orthosis.  Orthosis is used to describe a single, rigid or semi-rigid device that supports a weak or deformed body member, or restricts or eliminates motion in a diseased or injured part of the body.  It can be custom fabricated, custom fit or prefabricated.  Orthotics refers to the science of fabricating or fitting orthoses. The American Society of Hand Therapists firmly believes the terms splint or splinting should no longer be used by therapists who are fabricating or issuing an orthosis.

According to CMS, a splint refers to casts and strapping material used for reductions of fractures and dislocations. Splints are used typically in physician offices for applying a cast and need separate CPT codes when billing.

Custom fabricated vs. Custom Fitted and Prefabricated

According to ASHT, a custom fabricated orthosis is created for one specific patient.  The orthosis  may be fabricated based on clinically derived and rectified castings, tracings, measurement and/or images such as x-rays of a given body part. Fabrication requires substantial work and the use of materials including plastic, metal, leather or cloth.  The therapist may need to mold, bend, sew, or drill prior to fitting the orthosis.  Examples of materials used to create custom fabricated orthoses are North Coast Medical’s thermoplastic sheets, such as Clinic® or Preferred®.

Custom fitted refers to ortheses which are prefabricated without a specific patient in mind.  It requires the expertise of a therapist to customize the orthosis to fit a specific patient.  This may include trimming, molding or bending, with or without heat.  The Progress-Plus™ Pronation/Supination Orthosis is a great example of a custom fitted orthosis that a therapist can needs to adjust and fit the patient specifically.

Prefabricated orthoses, which may be termed “off-the-shelf,” require minimal self adjustments and are usually easy to don and doff.  These types of orthoses may or may not not require a therapist’s expertise to trim, bend, mold, assemble or customize each orthosis to fit initially.  Prefabricated orthoses like the Comfort Cool™ Thumb CMC Restriction Splint continue to be referred to as a splint in North Coast Medical’s Hand Therapy Catalog® during this transition between terms.

North Coast Medical will be attending Philadelphia’s Hand Surgery Symposium in March to share ideas with hand therapists on strategies for success in hand and upper extremity care.

Precuts save time and ensure precise billing

Precut Splints:  Pre-cut splints can save billable time, reduce the amount of wasted material, and simplify the reimbursement process. Time is saved by the simple fact our pre-cut shapes suit most common applications.  Using a precut reduces the amount of time needed to design and cut out a pattern from a thermoplastic piece. In addition, using these pre-cuts reduces lost revenue due to tossing out excess material. Lastly, therapists are reimbursed for exactly what they use. Rather than being reimbursed for a portion of a sheet, they can now list a single pre-cut for precise billing.

Progress™ splints are time-saving alternatives for progressive positioning.

Progress™ Orthoses:  Progress™ orthoses are ideal for persons with weakness in their wrists and hands, contractures, mild to moderate tone, or spasticity.  All Progress™ orthoses are innovatively designed with a malleable metal frame, covered with dense foam padding for a lightweight, soft support, similar to a plastic splint.  The ability to change joint angles within the orthoses without the need for tools makes Progress™ a time-saving alternative for progressive positioning.

ROM-Stops™ make it easy to individualize degrees of motion to each finger.

ROM-Stops™: ROM-Stops™ are plastic rods with end caps used on outriggers to control finger range of motion.  Each rod is designed to block finger flexion or extension in pre-measured increments of five degrees.  These pre-measured rods make it easy to individualize the degrees of motion to each finger.  They  can be used with most dynamic finger splints or custom design splints.  ROM-Stops™ are ideal for MP arthoplasty, PIP joint arthoplasty or extensor tendon lacerations.

For more information about how these products can save you time, connect with one of our LiveChat representatives or give us a call at (800·821·9319)

For a number of veterans, the courage and bravery that was required at war doesn’t end when they return home. Veterans who have been physically or mentally injured in war are faced with new challenges they may never have predicted. Learning how to return to a civilian life with a missing arm, invasive burns or impaired memory requires an uncommon type of courage and bravery that warrants our utmost respect.

Occupational therapists see the bravest of these men and women on a regular basis. Occupational therapists help veterans with memory impairments from traumatic brain injuries adjust to their new lifestyle and learn compensation techniques. Physical impairments, such as burns or amputations, require that occupational therapists work with veterans in the fitting and training of orthotics and prosthetics. Veterans with spinal cord injuries often need to learn adaptive techniques to compensate for physical impairments, which grants them independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living.

North Coast Medical would like to thank those who have served and sacrificed to ensure that America remains the land of the free and the home of the brave.

APTA’s Annual Conference and Exposition delivers educational programming, on-target career planning resources, and an opportunity for professionals and students to meet authorities in the field and North Coast aims to connect with them by introducing new products and demonstrating our commitment to the industry.

The theme for 2012 will be science, innovation, and evidence in the ever-changing health care environment. North Coast will attend the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2012 Conference in order to address those changes and remain in the forefront of the medical devices market.