By Danielle Cohen
Study: Virtual Reality May Aid Mobility, Brain Function The results of a recent small study indicate that the use of virtual reality games as part of a rehabilitation therapy program may help stroke patients improve their ability to walk and reorganize brain function.
The study, which was published in the June issue of the journal Stroke, was conducted about 2 years ago, and included 10 subjects, who on average were one and a half years post-stroke, and all of whom had weakness on one side of their body. The subjects were randomly placed into a control group or a virtual reality group, with five patients per group. The control group received no intervention, while the virtual reality group received training with the games—including going up and down stairs, swimming with sharks, and snowboarding—for 1 hour, 5 days per week, for 4 weeks.
"When we compared the two groups, we found that walking ability was significantly improved [in the virtual reality therapy group]. This change was also associated with positive brain reorganization," says lead author Sung H. You, PT, PhD, assistant professor of physical therapy at Hampton University, Hampton, Va.
Brain imaging done before and after the experiment indicated a reorganization of brain function after therapy.
The virtual reality games are not meant to replace other therapies, but instead provide another tool in the rehabilitation arsenal, and a means to keep patients engaged in their therapy. "You can't replace physical therapy with this system. It's an augmentative tool," You says. "I think this will be an enjoyable and motivating tool. A lot of times physical therapy can be rudimentary. For someone who loves to go snowboarding, riding, or scuba diving, they don't have to jeopardize their life with these games. They don't have to climb a mountain; with the virtual reality games, we can simulate a mountain or being under water. They can have fun, but be safe at the same time."
You says that the researchers hope to conduct more studies with larger sample sizes to discover the long-term effects.
NATA To Pursue Injunction Request Against CMS Ruling The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA), Dallas, plans to continue its appeal of a recent decision by a federal district court that dismissed the association's lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Baltimore, in response to a CMS ruling prohibiting Medicare reimbursement for therapy services provided "incident to" a physician's office visit by anyone other than a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech and language pathologist.
NATA originally filed its lawsuit in May, in response to CMS' ruling, which was to have gone into effect on June 6. On June 3, the Fifth District Court entered an order that prevented implementation of the new rule until it ruled on NATA's request for an injunction or until July 22, whichever came first.
On July 21, the court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case and dismissed it. NATA asked the court to reconsider its decision and the request for an injunction against the new rule, but the court denied that motion on August 25.
Paul R. Genender, a partner with Hughes & Luce, LLP in Dallas, and lead counsel of record for NATA in its case against CMS, says NATA will appeal the court's rulings to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, alleging that the new rule is illegal.
NATA's lawsuit alleges that CMS violated the law by issuing a ruling that contradicts Congressional intent. "The original Congressional intent was that the physician maintains the medical authority and judgment on who can perform ‘incident to' therapy services under his [or] her supervision," Genender says. " ‘Incident to' therapy services are those services provided by qualified personnel, under the supervision of a physician. To date, there has never been any restriction on who can provide these services. CMS' new rule means that doctors would no longer have the option of employing certified athletic trainers [ATCs], rehabilitation nurses, or kinesiologists to provide such services.
"Historically, Medicare laws have recognized the right of a physician to delegate the performance of medical services to qualified providers. The new policy put into effect by CMS improperly eliminates the physician's right to choose who can provide therapy in his or her office," Genender says. "NATA's position remains that athletic trainers have provided quality incident to therapy services for years and that there are no legitimate concerns about the quality of such services."
Despite its rulings, Genender says the federal district court did determine that for approximately 7 years before the new rule, athletic trainers "were deemed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to adequately perform incident to therapy services in a manner that met the appropriate standards and quality required by the applicable provision of the federal Medicare statute."
CMS' ruling went into effect in July. A spokesperson for CMS says the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
According to NATA, the new rule has and will adversely affect thousands of athletic trainers, with it initially affecting athletic trainers working in clinical settings where they are employed by physicians.
Quadriplegic Woman Crosses English Channel A British woman recently became the first quadriplegic to sail solo between Britain and France across the English Channel, according to a report by the Associated Press.
On August 23, Hilary Lister, 33—who is able to move only her head, eyes, and mouth—crossed the English Channel in 6 hours in her boat, the Malin, which has been adapted to be controlled by the "sip and puff" method, allowing Lister to adjust the sails and tiller by blowing and sucking through two straws.
Lister, who resides in Canterbury, England, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease reflex sympathetic dystrophy as a teenager. She took up sailing 2 years ago as a way to boost her self-confidence.
Coast guard officials at the English port of Dover, where Lister began her journey, said it was the first time a quadriplegic had made the voyage solo.
"It is very emotional for me. I was absolutely certain that once I got in the boat that I could make it to France. I am too stubborn to give up," Lister told reporters after arriving at Calais, France. "I want to get able-bodied people to rethink their views about the disabled."
On her Web site, Lister said the trip was "the most exhilarating day of my life." Lister told reporters that her next challenge will be to sail around Britain's coast.
Martin Buchalter Honored by AIUM
Martin Buchalter
Established in 1958, Parker Labora-tories, Fairfield, NJ, manufactures ultrasound and electromedical contact media for the ultrasound industry.
Lewis Nelson III, MD, RDMS, the former president of AIUM, recognized Buchalter for his dedication and participation in the AIUM. Buchalter is a senior member of the AIUM and has been active in the society for more than four decades.
A.R.T. Group Formed Adaptive Equipment Systems, Kid Kart, RehabiliTech, ShurShape, and Whitmyer Biomechanix have combined to form the Artistry in Rehab Technology (A.R.T.) Group, a division of Sunrise Medical, Carlsbad, Calif.
The A.R.T. Group's mission is to improve the quality of life for end users and their caregivers. With a management team led by Tom Novotny, the division's focus is the manufacture of custom molded seating, configured seating, positioning accessories, and mobility products within the assistive and rehab technology industry. From basic to highly involved, early intervention to adult, the division offers innovative products, time-saving solutions, expertise, and education.
Motion Going to Italy Innovation In Motion, Angola, Ind, a division of Vestil Manufacturing Company, has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with ORMESA, headquartered in Foligno, Italy.
ORMESA has designed and manufactured pediatric strollers, standers, gait trainers, and tricycles for more than 25 years. The company's line of lightweight, folding frame gait trainers is offered in four sizes that accommodate users weighing up to 165 pounds. The pediatric stroller line offers a diverse range of crash-tested products and sizes. ORMESA distributors are located in Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Asia.
Innovation In Motion also announced that it was awarded a Department of Veterans Affairs contract effective August 1, 2005. The 5-year contract includes the X4-Extreme, X5-Frontier, and the Jewel tilt-in-space wheelchair.
The X4 is a four-wheel-drive power wheelchair capable of traversing sand, snow, and mud, and climbing six-inch curbs. The X5 is an indoor wheelchair with outdoor capabilities allowing it to also traverse sand, snow, and mud, and to climb four-inch curbs. The Jewel is a manual tilt-in-space wheelchair that provides maximum comfort and support through the MPS Supportive Seating System.
Innovation In Motion is a distributor of innovative mobility and medical products.
Scooter, Power Chair Company Acquired
Douglas Curtis
The acquisition, which was completed on September 1, 2005, adds the Silver Star Lift brand to the current lineup of Pride Scooters, Jazzy Power Chairs, Quantum Rehab, and Go-Go Travel Mobility.
One innovation made since the acquisition is the newly developed online Compatibility Matrix on each company's Web site, which allows customers to compare lift/mobility product and vehicle/lift combinations for compatibility.
In other Pride Mobility news, the company hired Douglas Curtis as national sales manager of its newly formed Silver Star Lift Division. Curtis joins Pride with more than 5 years of experience in the vehicle lift market, most recently as a senior manager with Bruno Independent Living Aids. Curtis will lead Pride's sales efforts, as well as Pride provider sales, service, and installation training; vehicle lift inside customer support; and provider consultation.
Wayne Grau, Pride's area sales manager in New England, received the New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association (NEMED) Vendor of the Year Award for 2005. The award is presented each year at NEMED's annual meeting to an associate member or organization that has promoted the industry throughout the year through grassroots lobbying, other public relations, or sponsoring a NEMED educational/membership meeting.
Jim Greatorex, incoming NEMED president, presented the award to Grau at the association's annual meeting in June. Grau was recognized for his lobbying efforts regarding the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program cuts, his help in increasing membership, and his initiatives toward Massachusetts and Connecticut Medicaid cuts.
Brace Company Files for Chapter 11 To stay a $6.7-million legal judgment against it, Bledsoe Brace Systems, Grand Prairie, Tex, filed for protection under the Chapter 11 provision of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
A federal district court judge in Seattle issued the order in June resulting from a patent infringement dispute brought by Generation II, a subsidiary of Ossur hf, in Iceland. The filing will allow Bledsoe to appeal the decision, without financially disrupting the company.
Bledsoe received a boost when the full Federal Circuit bench participated in a recent decision, en banc, essentially resetting the legal guidelines for patent claim determination. "While Bledsoe fully respects the legal system, we disagreed with the original verdict regarding the patents. This recent Federal Circuit decision has restored what our legal counsel believes was always the proper law of this case and puts us in a far more favorable position," CEO Gary Bledsoe said in a statement.
The company stated it has already re-engineered the product in question, introducing the Thruster 3, which replaces the technology.
