Device helps stroke patients 'get a grip'

Stroke patients can “get a grip” with a new device that helps them regain use of their hands and once again perform everyday tasks such as opening a door.
 
Baptist Hospital East is the first hospital in Louisville to use the NESS H200™. Occupational therapists use the technology with appropriate patients on the Rehabilitation Unit and outpatients.

Worn on the forearm, the device delivers an electrical impulse to the muscles in the hand and forearm to stimulate movement. Instructions such as “open” or “close” are sent by the patient or therapist to the control unit. The device then sends electrical impulses to the peripheral nerve, activating five muscle groups of the forearm and hand.

Repetition of these movements “teaches” the healthy parts of the brain to relearn how to perform the movements. The exercises also strengthen unused muscles, improving blood flow and reducing spasticity.

For more information about the technology, or the Rehabilitation Unit, call the Baptist East Information Center at (502) 897-8131 or e-mail BHEInfoCenter@bhsi.com.