Hi all - Does anyone have any experience of TENS and tilt tables in aiding recovery? Mum had major stroe in early June and still no movement on her right hand side. Now she is stronger she is having physio twice a week and has a TENS machine which Dad uses on her arm and leg every day as well as doing basic aided movement with her (when not too painful). The NHS physio wants to take her to a tilt table (altho no progress in getting her there seems to be being made despite lots of chasing).....Anyone any experience of TENS and tilt tables in helping recovery? or how to chase NHS physios?!
Also found Flint rehab on the web.....anyone bought any of their rehab devices?
All those things look pretty useful, I do know that TENS helps lower spasticity but I think only moderately, so exercise should be the priority and used in combination. Flint stuff looks fun but expensive. I don't know anything about the tilt table, thought it was to test high blood pressure. Maybe a good idea is to chat with a physio about what your mum needs. The most important thing is repetitive exercises, with or without kit. One technique is slinging her left arm and each day spending some time encouraging her to use her right, even if she completely can't at first. Gradually, they say the neurons being unable to use the "good side" will start firing to get the right side going, but this all takes time and frequency.
Dear Sarah,
Years ago, I used to go to a clinic that had a tilt table. It was useful in redeveloping balance. My wife thinks it was an MS clinic near Wallington-Sutton-Purley in South London or maybe North Surrey.
I enjoyed it until I broke my hip in an unconnected foolish incident at home. We arranged it ourselves with no physio involved.
Oddly enough, before I had my stroke, I had been investigating tilting table design in my engineering practice, I think for some forensic matter but I don’t recall (according to the local memory clinic that’s probably my age, not the stroke!).
Yours aye,
Geoffrey