The challenge of providing effective and affordable rehabilitation for stroke survivors in the UK, and indeed globally, is multifaceted. It involves the development, availability, and cost of safe and effective technology and services. We can't take the development of new medical technology for granted. The time and cost of taking an idea forward and creating a product are becoming increasingly significant. Developers of such technology need to imagine making a return on their investment, and this needs more than the assurance of a clinical need - it takes someone willing to pay.
Stroke is a significant global healthcare challenge affecting millions, but this alone will not drive technology development unless there is a likely path toward a return on investment. This article considers the challenge of supporting stroke survivors in their recovery journey when resources seem lacking. We point to some products we loved that never developed sustained sales and some that might.

The RehaMove FES Cycling system (sometimes known as an FES bike) is widely used by clients to allow them to exercise paralysed muscles actively. There are many benefits of doing this following a neurological condition such as a spinal cord injury.

This video may be of general interest, but will be particularly useful to existing users of our FES Cycling system who wish to get more from using the product. The video is around 15 minutes long and it addresses three commonly asked questions

• Why should I use an FES bike?

• When and why should I change the stimulation settings?

• How should I make these changes?

The video distinguishes between training for a goal and general exercise and looks at a useful structure to think about how to train, The effect of changing each of the stimulation parameters is considered. You might want to term on subtitles when viewing the video.

Experiencing a spinal cord injury (SCI) can be life-altering and poses significant challenges in everyday life. However, with comprehensive rehabilitation and the right support, restoring some functionality, independence, and an enhanced quality of life is not just a dream, but a realistic goal.

This article shines a light on the journey of SCI rehabilitation, highlighting the array of specialised strategies and programs that are designed to cater to the unique needs of each. It discusses the limitations of state healthcare and alternative resources, such as private therapists and rehabilitation facilities, while also highlighting the importance of early personal injury legal advice in negligence cases. The piece underscores the impact of rehabilitation on physical and psychological well-being and advocates for a multidisciplinary treatment approach.

A spinal cord injury can be a life-changing event that no one is ever prepared for. Medical science has learned a great deal about how to treat the short-term consequences of a spinal cord injury. In the longer term, the imperative is to recover whatever function can be recovered through focusing on rehabilitation. Assistive technology can help to compensate for function that cannot be recovered. By preventing complications and striving for health, individuals can expect to enjoy good quality and length of life.

The mindset, attitudes and beliefs of the injured person and those around them will have a great impact on their potential for recovery, but there are limits to how far ‘belief’ will take them. Just believing that something is possible is not enough to make it so. We live in an age when technology, therapy and medical science can help individuals recover more function or at least remain healthier than would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. Whilst there is no cure yet for spinal cord injury, this no longer seems an impossible dream.

Every spinal cord-injured person faces a different challenge as they essentially have injuries with somewhat different characteristics. To deal with this, medical science has sought to find a way to classify spinal cord injuries in a way that helps to guide treatment, and to some extent, define the expectations for recovery. This article examines how spinal cord injuries are classified.

This is a guest post by Chris Wynne from our partners at The Rehab Physio in the Wirral. Their excellent facilities provide intensive physical rehabilitation services and in this post, Chris explains something of their philosophy.

Neurological physiotherapy acknowledges a simple fact: the human body is an amazing thing with the ability to adapt to the changes we put upon it.

With the right physiotherapy skills, technology and techniques, we can help the body to find ways to help patients with a range of neurological conditions including spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury and Cerebral Palsy to restore function, independence and quality of life.

A spinal cord injury is a life-altering event that can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. It can occur due to a wide variety of reasons, such as accidents, falls, sports injuries, or medical conditions.

The severity of a spinal cord injury varies greatly and each person, even with what can seem to be similar injuries, can have different symptoms and functional outcomes. As part of the clinical approach to understanding and managing such injuries, a system of classification has been developed.

When people are injured, they are often told that they have damage to specific bony vertebrae and the cord itself at a given level, along with a further qualifier suggesting the severity of the injury, typically as a ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete’ injury. But what do these terms mean, and what is their significance?

So, let's dive in and discover what you need to know about complete vs. incomplete spinal cord injury and its effects on the nervous system.