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Achieving Head Alignment through Movement

Achieving Head Alignment through Movement

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Vince is a young adult with the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. He had significant muscle tone throughout his body and frequently extends in his current wheelchair seating system. We were anxious to explore dynamic seating options to diffuse some of this extensor tone.

Dynamic Head Supports

Dynamic Head Supports – the importance of design in meeting client goals

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In our last blog, we discussed clinical indicators and contra-indicators to allowing movement into neck extension using a dynamic head support. Dynamic movement in this area can protect the head support hardware from damage, limit client injury, and reduce overall extensor tone. How does design facilitate these goals?

3 Reasons to Allow the Neck to Extend

3 Reasons to Allow the Neck to Extend

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In previous blogs, we have discussed clinical indicators for providing dynamic movement at the hips and knees. Another location dynamic movement can be provided is at the neck through Dynamic head support mounting hardware. Most dynamic options allow movement into neck extension and then facilitate return to an upright and aligned posture. So when is a dynamic head support clinically indicated? 

Preserving Joint Integrity through Dynamic Seating

Preserving Joint Integrity through Dynamic Seating

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Daniel is a teenage boy with the diagnoses of cerebral palsy and seizures. He has significantly high muscle tone and has had varied success with tone management over the years. If his feet are not strapped to the footplates, he extends at his knees and his feet are then hanging far in front of the footplates. This increases the turning radius of the wheelchair, places his lower legs at risk of injury, and leads to a loss of position of his pelvis. As a result, his feet have been strapped into shoeholders for most of his life. This positioning has kept his feet on the footplates, but has created other issues.

3 Reasons to Provide Movement at the Knee

3 Reasons to Provide Movement at the Knee

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Wheelchair footrest hangers are generally static. If the client is able to extend at the knees, the feet move forward off the footplates. This is fine for clients who can easily move their foot back onto the footplate. If the client’s feet tend to leave the footplates and the client cannot return to this starting position, we often add in foot straps and/or shoeholders to maintain this position.

Do Molded Backs and Dynamic Seating Mix

Oil and Water – Do Molded Backs and Dynamic Seating Mix?

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Oil and water don’t mix well and we often assume that molded seating and movement don’t mix either. Why? Well, a molded seat or back provides very intimate contact with the client’s body. If, for example, the seat to back angle changes, this can change the alignment of the client in relation to these intimate contours.

Why Movement Helps Brain Injuries

Why Movement Helps People With Brain Injuries

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“Jackson” (named has been changed) was in a car accident when he was only 6 years old and sustained a significant brain injury. As a result, he was unable to move himself, communicate with others, or control anything in his environment. He has been using various mobility bases since that time.

Concussions Don't Just Happen in Football

Supplier Interview: Concussions don’t Just Happen in Football

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Recently I had a nice conversation with a colleague about Dynamic Seating. Joe McKnight is Director of Business Development in California, Nevada, and Arizona for Numotion, and he has been in the wheelchair seating and mobility field for a long time – probably longer than he would like to admit! Having that much experience provides a unique view. Joe states that “how we practiced 30 years ago and how we practice now should be different. We need to re-evaluate how we are doing things and how we need to change.”

Anterior Movement of the Trunk

Dynamic Seating Provides Anterior Movement Of The Trunk – Part 2

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Our last blog addressed dynamic seating used to provide posterior movement of the trunk. Anterior movement of the trunk can also be facilitated.

3 Reasons to Provide Dynamic Posterior Movement

3 Reasons to Provide Dynamic Posterior Movement of the Trunk and Pelvis

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Our last blog discussed providing dynamic movement at the pelvis. If the pelvis moves posteriorly, the trunk will move posteriorly as well. So if posterior movement of the trunk is desired, dynamic seating components which allow posterior movement of the pelvis are provided, namely a dynamic back rest, which opens the seat to back angle in response to client movement and force.