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Shoulder Wheel
The
patient is made to stand near the wheel with the affected side holding
the handle of the wheel. The hand of the patient may be supported
by the normal hand of the patient himself, the zean or poplin glove
is worn by the patient in the affected hand which is later on tied
to it with buckles firmly so that when the patient is moving the
shoulder wheel the hand does not slip at all. After sometime say
about 10 revolutions of the wheel, the patient takes some rest and
continues the same again with regular periods of rests in between.
Sanding : It is of the following types :
(A)
Vertical Sanding : The standing apparatus is fixed in the
wall. The sliding block is made to slide up and down. The patient
holds the sliding block with his hands and moves it up and down
in a vertical manner, for sometime till he feels tired. He is made
to take some rest and continues the same.
(B)
Inclined Sanding : The patient stands on front of the inclined
sanding apparatus and holds the handle of the box with weights which
is tied to a weight on the other side of the apparatus with a cord
passing over a pulley. This is move up and down stabilizing both
the shoulders of the patient from the back.
(C)
Horizontal Sanding : The horizontal sanding board lies in
the front of the patient and the block is held in the hand of the
patient with a glove or the therapist holds the hand of the patient
over the sanding block. These blocks are fitted with the sandpapers.
(D) Overhead
Sanding : This apparatus is fixed on the ceiling and is having
the semicircular sliding frame, which can be raised or lowered according
to the height of the patient. The patient stands in the center of
the arc, holding the sanding block in the hands and moving it overhead
against the arc.
This
should be introduced in the final stages of the treatment.
Cold Therapy : This is the treatment given through ice on
the spastic limb.
The application
of ice is very helpful in relieving spasticity as stated by Miss
Rood. The use of ice lowers or depresses the nerve condition along
the affected nerves. The reaction to cold appear to be longer lasting
than the reaction to heat, however, so the optimum environment for
reducing spasticity or spasm is good, but not excessive, general
body heat, with localized cooling on the individual muscle. Both
the small interior horn cells and the alpha motor cells in the spinal
cord are bombarded by impulses with connections from all over the
body, so the impulses coming from the exteroceptive stimulus of
cold on the skin does affect the deep tissues.
Effect on the nerve
connection is so that the rate of conduction of impulses is slower
and the size of the action potential reduced at a temperature 10°C.
The sensitivity of cold receptors means that a cooling of 1°C raises
the impulse frequently by 30 impulses / sec.
Effect
on muscle strength : Cold lowers the production of metabolites
in a contracting muscle and reduces the O² requirements of that
muscle. The short, brick applications of cold will alternate muscle
contractions and that long, very cold application will diminish
muscle activity. So application of cold for short time increases
the work output of contractile force.
Effect
on Circulation : The surface vessels contract because
of the way cold affects the vasoconstrictor sympathetic nerves.
It is observed that vasodilation results in the deep vessels, bringing
an increase of blood supply to the deep tissues. A successful treatment
produces a pink flush, which, if not present, indicates that the
treatment has not been effective.
To obtain the deepest
effects of cold, the application of ice toweling must completely
envelope the part with the toweling may be less than 6" in width
or part must be immersed in ice water. It is found that many of
the characteristics of the deep effects are produced by shorter
application of ice towels of ice cube massage.
When
the following requirements are needed, the long application is given
:
I.
When it is necessary to reduce muscle spasm, spasticity, or habitual
trick pattern of movements so often developed during the long physical
disability, by depressing the activity of the nervous system.
II.
To enable muscle to contract for a longer duration because of the
fewer metabolites produced and the reduced O² consumption, but the
temperature of application in the region of 12° - 13°C
III.
To produce a deep vasodilation which improves
the circulation
Although there is some doubt as to exact circulatory changes, cold
application to reduce oedema and are particularly useful in recent
injuries to reduce swelling and pain after 48 hrs. Of injury. It
may also lead to increased joint movement such as with a frozen
shoulder or other joints, which respond to improved circulation
together with a relief from pain.
IV. Cold
applications at 0°C acts as an analgesic and counter irritant. A
brief application of an ice cube stroked briskly on the skin whose
dermatonic had the same nerve supply as the muscle requiring stimulation
acts as a facilitation to the muscle contraction.
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